Top

Reproductive Health

Published in:

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research

Social capital and health during pregnancy; an in-depth exploration from rural Sri Lanka

Authors: Thilini Chanchala Agampodi, Thilde Rheinländer, Suneth Buddhika Agampodi, Nicholas Glozier, Sisira Siribaddana

Published in: Reproductive Health | Issue 1/2017

Abstract

Background

Dimensions of social capital relevant to health in pregnancy are sparsely described in the literature. This study explores dimensions of social capital and the mechanisms in which they could affect the health of rural Sri Lankan pregnant women.

Methods

An exploratory qualitative study of solicited diaries written by pregnant women on their social relationships, diary interviews and in-depth interviews with key informants was conducted. A framework approach for qualitative data analysis was used.

Results

Pregnant women (41), from eight different communities completed diaries and 38 post-diary interviews. Sixteen key informant interviews were conducted with public health midwives and senior community dwellers. We identified ten cognitive and five structural constructs of social capital relevant to health in pregnancy. Domestic and neighborhood cohesion were the most commonly expressed constructs. Social support was limited to support from close family, friends and public health midwives. A high density of structural social capital was observed in the micro-communities. Membership in local community groups was not common. Four different pathways by which social capital could influence health in pregnancy were identified. These include micro-level cognitive social capital by promoting mental wellbeing; micro-level structural social capital by reducing minor ailments in pregnancy; micro-level social support mechanisms promoting physical and mental wellbeing through psychosocial resources and health systems at each level providing focused maternal care.

Conclusion

Current tools available may not contain the relevant constructs to capture the unique dimensions of social capital in pregnancy. Social capital can influence health during pregnancy, mainly through improved psychosocial resources generated by social cohesion in micro-communities and by the embedded neighborhood public health services.

Marmot M. Social determinants of health inequalities. Lancet. 2005;365:1099–104. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15781105 CrossRefPubMed

Commision for Social Determinants of Health. A conceptual framework for action on the social determinants of health. Discuss. Pap. Comm. Soc. Determ. Heal. Available from: http://www.who.int/social_determinants/resources/csdh_framework_action_05_07.pdf. Accessed Aug 2016.

Kawachi I, Subramanian SV, Kim D. Social capital and health. New York: Springerlink; 2007.

De Silva MJ, Huttly SR, Harpham T, Kenward MG. Social capital and mental health: a comparative analysis of four low income countries. Soc Sci Med. 2006/10/19 ed. 2007;64:5–20. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=17045716

Islam MK, Merlo J, Kawachi I, Lindstrom M, Gerdtham UG. Social capital and health: does egalitarianism matter? A literature review. Int J Equity Heal. 2006/04/07 ed. 2006;5:3. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=16597324

Uphoff EP, Pikkett KE, Cabieses B, Small N, Wright J. A systematic review of the relationships between social capital and socioeconomic inequalities in health: a contribution to understanding the psychosocial pathway of health inequalities. Int J Equity Health. 2013;12:54. doi:10.1186/1475-9276-12-54

Neutens T, Vyncke V, De Winter D, Willems S. Neighborhood differences in social capital in Ghent (Belgium): a multilevel approach. Int J Heal. Geogr. 2013/11/15 ed. 2013;12:52. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=24225005

Story WT. Social capital and health in the least developed countries: a critical review of the literature and implications for a future research agenda. Glob Public Heal. 2013/11/01 ed. 2013;8:983–99. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=24172027

Agampodi TC, Agampodi SB, Glozier N, Siribaddana S. Measurement of social capital in relation to health in low and middle income countries (LMIC): a systematic review. Soc Sci Med. 2015;128:95–104. Available from: http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84921047201&partnerID=tZOtx3y1 CrossRefPubMed

10.

Annual Report on Family Health 2013. Sri Lanka: Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medicine; 2013. Available from: http://www.kln.ac.lk/medicine/depts/publichealth/Fixed_Learning/annual_report_2013.pdf.

11.

Agampodi S, Agampodi T, Wickramasinghe N, Fernando S, Chathurani U, Adhikari W, et al. Productivity cost due to maternal ill health in Sri Lanka. PLoS One. 2012/08/11 ed. 7:e42333. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=22879943. Accessed Aug 2016.

12.

Souza JP, et al. Moving beyond essential interventions for reduction of maternal mortality (the WHO multicountry survey on maternal and newborn health): a cross-sectional study. Lancet. 2013;381:1747–55.CrossRefPubMed

13.

Lamarca GA, do C Leal M SA, M V V. The association of neighbourhood and individual social capital with consistent self-rated health: a longitudinal study in Brazilian pregnant and postpartum women. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2013;13:1. Available from: http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84872191489&partnerID=tZOtx3y1.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

14.

Dejin-Karlsson E, Hanson B, Ostergren P, Lindgren A, Sjoberg N, Marsal K. Association of a lack of psychosocial resources and the risk of giving birth to small for gestational age infants: a stress hypothesis. BJOG. 2000;107:89–100. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=10645867\npapers2://publication/uuid/B52B2612-CAF3-4C93-9E2C-3A04656853C5 CrossRefPubMed

15.

Elsenbruch S, Benson S, Rucke M, Rose M, Dudenhausen J, Pincus-Knackstedt MK, et al. Social support during pregnancy: effects on maternal depressive symptoms, smoking and pregnancy outcome. Hum Reprod. 2007;22:869–77.CrossRefPubMed

16.

Putnam RD. Bowling alone: the collapse and revival of American community. New York: Simon and Schuster; 2000.CrossRef

17.

Portes A. Social capital: its origin and application in modern sociology. Annu Rev Sociol. 1998;22:1–24.CrossRef

18.

Coleman JS, Press HU. Foundations of Social Theory. Cambridge, MA: The Belknap Press of Havard University Press; 1990.

19.

Lochner K, Kawachi I, Kennedy BP. Social capital: a guide to its measurement. Heal. Place. 2000/09/14 ed. 1999;5:259–70. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=10984580

20.

Putnam RD, Leonardi R, Nanetti R. Making democracy work: civic tradition in modern Italy. Princeton: Princeton University Press; 1993.

21.

Navarro V. A critique of social capital. Int J Heal. Serv. 2002/09/05 ed. 2002;32:423–32. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=12211285

22.

Krishna AM, from the stock of social capital to the flow of benefits. Moving from the stock of social capital to the flow of benefits: the role of agency. World Dev. 2001;29:925–43.CrossRef

23.

Harpham T, Grant E, Thomas E. Measuring social capital within health surveys: key issues. Heal. Policy Plan. 2002/02/28 ed. 2002;17:106–11. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=11861592

24.

McKenzie K, Whitley R, Weich S. Social capital and mental health. Br J Psychiatry. 2002/10/03 ed. 2002;181:280–3. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=12356653

25.

Szreter S, Woolcock M. Health by association? Social capital, social theory, and the political economy of public health. Int J Epidemiol. 2004;33:650–67.CrossRefPubMed

26.

Kawachi I, Kim D, Coutts A, Subramanian S V. Commentary: Reconciling the three accounts of social capital. Int J Epidemiol. 2004/07/30 ed. 2004;33:682–4. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=15282222

27.

Lamarca GA, Leal Mdo C, Leao AT, Sheiham A, Vettore M V. The different roles of neighbourhood and individual social capital on oral health-related quality of life during pregnancy and postpartum: a multilevel analysis. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2013/07/23 ed. 2014;42:139–50. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=23869684.

28.

De Silva MJ, Harpham T, Tuan T, Bartolini R, Penny ME, Huttly SR. Psychometric and cognitive validation of a social capital measurement tool in Peru and Vietnam. Soc Sci Med. 2005/08/13 ed. 2006;62:941–53. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=16095787.

29.

Agampodi TC, Agampodi SB, Glozier N, Siribaddana S. Exploring beyond norms: social capital of pregnant women in Sri Lanka as a factor influencing health, vol. 5. Switzerland: Springerplus; 2016. p. 411.

30.

Census on population and housing 2012. Department of Census and Statistics, Ministry of Policy Planning Economic Affairs, Child Youth and Cultural Affairs Sri Lanka; 2015. Available from: http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/Mid Year Population/midyearsex&district.pdf.

31.

Demographic and Health Survey. Department of Census and Statistics; 2007. Available from: http://www.statistics.gov.lk/.

32.

Evenson KR, Chasan-Taber L, Symons Downs D, Pearce EE. Review of self-reported physical activity assessments for pregnancy: summary of the evidence for validity and reliability. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2012;26:479–494. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3419488/.

33.

Corti L. Using Diaries in Social Research. Gilbert N, editor. Soc. Res. Updat. Department of Sociology, University of Surrey; Guildford, England.

34.

Jacelon CS, Imperio K. Participant diaries as a source of data in research with older adults. Qual. Health Res. 2005;15:991–7.

35.

Mack N, Woodsong C, Macqueen C M, Guest G, Namey E. Indepth Interviws. Qual. Res. Methods A Data Collect. F. Guid. Family Health International, North Carolina, USA; 2005. p. 29–49.

36.

Maxwell J. A. Qualitative Research Design. 3rd ed. SAGE publications, Los Angelese, USA; 2013.

37.

Pope C, Ziebland S, Mays N. Analysing qualitative data. In: Pope C, Mays N, editors. Qual. Res. Heal. Care. Blackwell Publishing Ltd, Berkshire, England; 2006. p. 72–74.

38.

Szreter S, Woolcock M. Health by association? Social capital, social theory, and the political economy of public health. Int J Epidemiol. 2004/07/30 ed. 2004;33:650–67. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=15282219

39.

Caplan G. Support systems and community mental health. 1974.

40.

Sreenivasulu SE. Performance standards for responsibility in education a case study. Int. J. Adv. Res. Technol. 2013. Volume 2.

41.

Cacioppo J, Hawkley L. Loneliness. 2012.

42.

Balu P. Exchange and power in social life. New Brunswik and London: Transaction Publishers; 1986.

43.

Taylor P, Funk C. Clark A. Who, Where and Why: Americans and Social Trust; 2010.

44.

Yosephine E. Sense of belonging. 2014. Available from: http://www.voicesofyouth.org/en/posts/sense-of-belonging

45.

Olson DH, Ph D. Empirical approaches to family assessment. J Fam Ther. 1999;61:557–73.

46.

Carron AV, Brawley LR. Cohesion: conceptual and measurement issues. Small Gr Res. 2000;31:89–106. Available from: http://sgr.sagepub.com/content/31/1/89.abstract CrossRef

47.

Conklin J. Criminology. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.; 2007.

48.

Miller AH. Rejoinder to “comment” by Jack Citrin: political discontent or ritualism? Am Polit Sci Rev. 1974;68:989–1001.CrossRef

49.

Agampodi SB, Wickramasinghe ND, Horton J, Agampodi TC. Minor ailments in pregnancy are not a minor concern for pregnant women: a morbidity assessment survey in rural Sri Lanka. PLoS One. Public Library of Science; 2013;8:e64214. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0064214

50.

Mansyura K, Amick BC, Harrist RB, Franzinib L. Social capital, income inequality, and self-rated health in 45 countries. Soc Sci Med. 2008;66:43–56.CrossRef

51.

Kumar S, Calvo R, Avendano M, Sivaramakrishnan K, Berkman LF. Social support, volunteering and health around the world: cross-national evidence from 139 countries. Soc Sci Med. 2012/02/07 ed. 2012;74:696–706. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=22305947.

52.

Lamarca GA, do CLM, Sheiham A, Vettore M V. The association of neighbourhood and individual social capital with consistent self-rated health: a longitudinal study in Brazilian pregnant and postpartum women. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2013/01/18 ed. 2013;13:1. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=23324161.

53.

Oslon DH, Sprenle DH, Russel CS. Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems I: cohesion and adaptability dimensions, family types and clinical applications. Family Process. 1979;18:3–28.

Title: Social capital and health during pregnancy; an in-depth exploration from rural Sri Lanka
Authors: Thilini Chanchala Agampodi
Thilde Rheinländer
Suneth Buddhika Agampodi
Nicholas Glozier
Sisira Siribaddana
Publication date: 01-12-2017
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: Reproductive Health / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1742-4755
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-017-0349-7

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Social capital and health during pregnancy; an in-depth exploration from rural Sri Lanka

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 1/2017

Alcohol consumption among pregnant women in James Town Community, Accra, Ghana

Persisting demand and supply gap for maternal and newborn care in eastern Uganda: a mixed-method cross-sectional study

Barriers and enablers in the implementation of a program to reduce cesarean deliveries

Obstetric care navigation: a new approach to promote respectful maternity care and overcome barriers to safe motherhood

Experience in the use of non-pneumatic anti-shock garment (NASG) in the management of postpartum haemorrhage with hypovolemic shock in the Fundación Valle Del Lili, Cali, Colombia

Priorities for family building among patients and partners seeking treatment for infertility