Singing Your Way To Safe Delivery Open Access

Abstract

Maternal and neonatal mortality rates in Ethiopia are among the highest in the
world. The maternal mortality ratio is 676 per 100,000 live births and the neonatal
mortality rate is 37 per 1000 live births (Demographic Health Survey (DHS), 2011).
Because the rates were so high, the Maternal and Newborn Health in Ethiopia
Partnership (MaNHEP) was established to improve maternal and neonatal health. A
major part of their initiative is to use behavioral change communication methods
such as music, to promote healthy behaviors. As part of that initiative, the author
focused on birth songs sung by women in Oromo communities in Ethiopia, one of
the sites where MaNHEP is working. The objectives of this thesis are to identify the
role the birth songs play in these communities and determine the content and
meaning of the messages in the songs. The author uses qualitative research
methods including observation of women singing birth songs; focus group
discussions with mothers, traditional birth attendants and frontline health workers;
and in-depth interviews with MaNHEP staff. Results suggest that the birth songs,
particularly the birth ceremonies of which they are an integral component, play a
huge role in the lives of the women. They are seen as joyous social activities that
facilitate camaraderie among all the women in the community in celebrating a
woman's successful delivery. The results indicate that songs in general have also
been useful in teaching important lessons regarding maternal and newborn health
and that music is a great communication vehicle that should be further explored in
the Oromo communities.

Table of Contents

Abstract

x

Acknowledgements

Xii

Introduction

1

MaNHEP

2

Music health communication

10

Purpose

11

Literature Review

12

Review of BCC interventions

12

Mass media

14

Social marketing

15

Community mobilization

16

Music

18

Home based life saving skills

19

Methods

25

Institutional Review Board

25

Location & Population

25

Recording of Songs

27

Focus Group Discussions

28

In depth interview

29

Analaysis

30

Results

32

Demographics of Participants

32

Birth Song Information

34

Role of birth songs

37

Messages in birth songs

39

Role of tradition

41

MaNHEP approach

45

Messages for future songs

47

Conclusion

49

Appendix A Informed Consent (English)

54-55

Appendix B Focus Group Discussion Guide (English)

56

Appendix C Informed Consent (Afaan Oromo)

57-58

Appendix D Focus Group Discussion Guide (Afaan Oromo)

59-60

Appendix E Take Action Card (English)

61-62

Appendix F Take Action Card (Afaan Oromo)

63-64

References

65-66

About this Master's Thesis

Rights statement

• Permission granted by the author to include this thesis or dissertation in this repository. All rights reserved by the author. Please contact the author for information regarding the reproduction and use of this thesis or dissertation.

School	Rollins School of Public Health
Department	Hubert Department of Global Health
Degree	MPH
Submission	Master's Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Health Sciences, Public Health
Keyword	Oromia
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Foster, Stanley, Emory University
Committee Members	Sibley, Lynn M, Emory University
Partnering Agencies	Emory University schools, faculty or affiliated programs

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