Communication guidelines to support grandparent headed families regarding sexual and reproductive health in Tshwane District

Abstract

ABSTRACT Grandparenting is a new global social phenomenon emerging whereby grandparents take part in caring for their grandchildren. Grandparent headed families occur due to various societal factors, including the death of parents due to accidents, teenage parenting and other limitations that prevent parents from raising their children. The grandparents are then responsible for being primary caregivers to their grandchildren when they also have their challenges. The aim and objectives of the study were to develop communication guidelines to support grandparent headed families regarding sexual and reproductive health. This study was conducted in two phases. Phase 1: a qualitative, descriptive phenomenological and contextual research design was conducted to explore and describe the experiences of the grandparents, grandchildren and primary health nurses regarding sexual and reproductive health in the Tshwane District of the Gauteng Province, South Africa. A non-probability, purposive and snowballing sampling method was used to select twelve (12) Primary Healthcare nurses, eleven (11) grandparents and thirteen (13) grandchildren. Data was collected through in-depth interviews and analysed using Giorgio’s five steps. Ethical consideration was adhered to by ensuring anonymity, confidentiality, privacy and signed consent to participate in the study. Measures to ensure trustworthiness adhered to were credibility, confirmability, transferability, dependability, authenticity, reflexivity and bracketing. The findings of the study revealed: Four (4) essences (themes) and twelve (12) constituents (categories) emerged from the transcribed data when PHCNs shared their lived experiences. The four themes are PHCNs' experiences of SRH communication, PHCNs' experiences of factors facilitating SRH communication, PHCNs' experiences of SRH communication barriers and PHCNs' recommendations for SRH communication promotion. Four (4) essences and ten (10) constituents emerged from the transcribed data, emanating from the grandparents' shared experiences. The four themes were Grandparents' experiences of SRH communication, Grandparents’ experiences of factors facilitating SRH communication and Grandparents’ experiences of SRH family communication barriers. Grandparents’ experiences of SRH family communication barriers and Grandparents’ recommendations for SRH communication promotion. Four (4) main essences and nine (9) constituents emerged from the transcribed data The four essences from the grandchildren were: Grandchildren’s experiences of SRH communication, Grandchildren’s experiences of factors facilitating SRH communication, Grandchildren’s experiences of SRH family communication barriers and Grandchildren’s recommendations for SRH communication promotion. The findings for Phase 1 formed the basis of the development of guidelines. In Phase 2, the Delphi technique was used, and experts in the field were identified to provide information regarding the development of guidelines that will be used to support grandparent headed families regarding sexual reproductive communication. A non-probability sampling method was used to identify the panel of experts knowledgeable about SRH, including academics, policymakers and other stakeholders. The development and validation of the guidelines were done based on the AGREE II (2010) instrument. A consensus was reached in round 2. Round 3 was used for validation and as a form of feedback.