2023-09-28 14:46:10 +00:00
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abstract: 'Background Child malnutrition persists globally with men and women
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playing distinct roles to support children''s nutrition. Women frequently
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carry the bulk of the workload related to food, care, and health, all of
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which are critical factors in child nutrition. For this reason,
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development efforts have emphasised women ignoring the potential role of
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men in supporting children''s nutrition. This study sought to understand
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the different roles that Malawian men and women play in children''s
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nutrition. Methods This qualitative was conducted in rural Central
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Malawi as part of a baseline study in 2017 for the CARE Southern Africa
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Nutrition Initiative. Seventy-six participants were interviewed,
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including 19 men and 57 women, using focus group discussions and
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in-depth interviews. We sought to understand the gender distribution of
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men''s and women''s roles and how these roles influence child nutrition.
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Results We found that both men and women were involved in productive,
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reproductive, and community work. However, consistent with the
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literature, women carried a disproportionate workload in supporting
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child nutrition compared to men. Women''s heavier workloads often
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prevented them from being able to meet children''s food needs.
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Nevertheless, shifts in gender roles were observed in some of the
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sampled communities, with men taking up responsibilities that have been
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typically associated with women. These changes in gender roles, however,
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did not necessarily increase women''s power within the household.
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Conclusions Traditional gender roles remain prevalent in the sampled
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communities. Women continue to be primarily responsible for the food,
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care, and health of the household. Women''s heavy workloads prevent them
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from providing optimal care and nutrition for children. While efforts to
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advance gender equality by encouraging men to participate in child care
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and other household responsibilities appear to have had marginal
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success, the extent to which these efforts have successfully encouraged
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men to share power remains unclear. Improving gender equality and child
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nutrition will require efforts to redistribute gendered work and
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encourage men to move towards shared power with women over household
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decision-making and control over income.'
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affiliation: 'Mkandawire, E (Corresponding Author), Univ Pretoria, Old Coll House,
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Pretoria, South Africa.
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Mkandawire, Elizabeth, Univ Pretoria, Old Coll House, Pretoria, South Africa.
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Bisai, Clement; Kantayeni, Hazel; Molosoni, Billy, CARE Malawi, Pamodzi House,Off
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Presidential Dr, Lilongwe, Malawi.
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Dressel, Anne; Kako, Peninnah M.; Gondwe, Kaboni W.; Mkandawire-Valhmu, Lucy, Univ
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Wisconsin, Coll Nursing, Cunningham Hall, Milwaukee, WI 53201 USA.'
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article-number: '1392'
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author: Mkandawire, Elizabeth and Bisai, Clement and Dyke, Elizabeth and Dressel,
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Anne and Kantayeni, Hazel and Molosoni, Billy and Kako, Peninnah M. and Gondwe,
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Kaboni W. and Mkandawire-Valhmu, Lucy
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author-email: elizabeth.mkandawire@up.ac.za
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author_list:
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- family: Mkandawire
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given: Elizabeth
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- family: Bisai
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given: Clement
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- family: Dyke
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given: Elizabeth
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- family: Dressel
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given: Anne
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- family: Kantayeni
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given: Hazel
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- family: Molosoni
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given: Billy
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- family: Kako
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given: Peninnah M.
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- family: Gondwe
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given: Kaboni W.
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- family: Mkandawire-Valhmu
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given: Lucy
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da: '2023-09-28'
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doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-13749-x
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eissn: 1471-2458
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files: []
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journal: BMC PUBLIC HEALTH
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keywords: 'Child nutrition; Food Security; Inequalities; Care-giving; Low-income
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countries; Focus group'
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keywords-plus: 'HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY; MENS INVOLVEMENT; HEALTH; WOMEN; AGRICULTURE;
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EQUALITY; POLICY; CARE'
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language: English
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month: JUL 20
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number: '1'
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number-of-cited-references: '45'
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orcid-numbers: Gondwe, Kaboni Whitney/0000-0001-7333-0930
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papis_id: 227b3cbf65e2a718da470877c170729b
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ref: Mkandawire2022qualitativeassessmen
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researcherid-numbers: Gondwe, Kaboni Whitney/AGM-5219-2022
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times-cited: '1'
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title: A qualitative assessment of gender roles in child nutrition in Central Malawi
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2023-10-01 08:15:07 +00:00
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type: article
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2023-09-28 14:46:10 +00:00
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unique-id: WOS:000828120300005
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usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
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usage-count-since-2013: '2'
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volume: '22'
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web-of-science-categories: Public, Environmental \& Occupational Health
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year: '2022'
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