Innocent-ai-Maker/dissertation-post--abortion-care-messages

Undergraduate dissertation on communicating post-abortion care messages to women in Malawi, based on Banja La Mtsogolo clinics. Surveyed 300 participants; Stata analysis of how stigma, cultural norms, and limited rural information access shape access to safe post-abortion care. Communicating Post-Abortion Care in Malawi: A Study of Banja La Mtsogolo Clinics Author: Innocent Nsanjira Institution: University of Malawi, School of Communication and Cultural Studies (data analysis conducted with support from the School of Economics, Law and Government). Year: 2025 Overview This undergraduate dissertation examined the challenges of communicating post-abortion care (PAC) messages to women in Malawi, using Banja La Mtsogolo clinics as a case study. The research combined survey data from 300 participants with an analysis of how information about post-abortion care is communicated, received, and acted on particularly in rural settings. Research Question What challenges affect the communication of post-abortion care messages to women in Malawi, and how do these challenges shape access to safe abortion care? Methodology • Design: Quantitative survey-based study • Sample: 300 participants • Data collection: Structured questionnaires administered in relation to Banja La Mtsogolo clinic outreach • Analysis: Descriptive statistics (frequencies and cross-tabulations) conducted in Stata to identify patterns in awareness, information access, and reported barriers to care Key Findings • Stigma around abortion and post-abortion care emerged as a significant barrier to open communication, discouraging women from seeking or discussing care. • Cultural and societal expectations shaped how and whether information about post-abortion care reached women, particularly in rural communities. • Limited access to accurate information, especially in rural Malawi, compounded these barriers, leaving many women without clear guidance on safe care options. • Taken together, these communication gaps were linked to reduced access to safe abortion care for a substantial share of women in the study, a pattern consistent with unsafe abortion remaining a significant contributor to maternal deaths in Malawi Relevance This research sits at the intersection of public health communicat …