The Maternal Health Literacy of South Asian Newcomer Mothers and Canadian-born Mothers: A Narrative Inquiry Using Propositional Analysis

Abstract

Objective: First, this comparative analysis of comprehension aimed to guide care and assist with health education research and practice as indicated in mothers stories of learning. Second, this research aimed to determine the comprehension processes of participants by comparing and characterizing the quantity and quality of the concepts’ mothers use in their narratives. Maternal health literacy (MHL) allows mothers to apply health information across all healthcare settings to make decisions about their health. Comprehension and reasoning are essential MHL skills for applying health advice. Methods: Using narrative inquiry methodology and transformative learning theory as the lens, the comprehension processes of English-speaking South Asian Newcomer Mothers (SANMs) (n=7) were compared with those of English-speaking Canadian-born mothers (n=7). Through semi-structured interviews, the mothers discussed their comprehension of ultrasound examination preparation, health risk information, and shared decision making. Themes were identified using inductive thematic analysis, with two reviewers identifying latent themes concerning situational and sociocultural MHL practices. Then, excerpts were explicated using propositional analysis, which systematically identified the features of thought and behavior at an individual level, to identify semantic features of discourse comprehension as a form of methodological triangulation. Next, the narratives were quantified to identify latent patterns of comprehension processes, conceptual knowledge, and semantic discourse features. Results: The key findings indicated that mothers demonstrate MHL through reifying, posturing, and volition, and that all mothers engage in knowledge-building activities and experiential learning in their communities to learn relationally from each other. Conclusion: Ultimately, MHL empowers all mothers to become more engaged during medical appointments and in health decision making.