High interest yet low participation in parental support groups by parents in north-eastern Gothenburg. A survey based study

Abstract

Degree Project Thesis, Programme in Medicine. TITLE: High interest yet low participation in parental support groups by parents in north-eastern Gothenburg. A survey based study. ABSTRACT Background: The segregation in Gothenburg is accompanied by an inequity in health. The difference in health status amongst children has been studied by a child health index showing clear differences in children’s health status in north-eastern Gothenburg compared to other parts of Gothenburg. For the indicator “parental support at child health services”, reports show substantially lower participation rates in north-east compared to other parts of the city. Hence, this study investigates the current interest in, knowledge of and potential barriers to participation in parental support groups in this area. Method: Using a quantitative questionnaire designed by the research team, this crosssectional study assessed interest in parental support groups, barriers to attend such, and potential relationships between interest and barriers among parents in north-eastern Gothenburg. The questionnaire was translated to three of the most spoken languages in northeast – Arabic, Persian and Somali – as well as English, and was handed out in three different Child Health Centres in the area. Descriptive and Chi-square/Fisher’s exact test analyses were made using SPSS. Chi-square/Fisher’s exact test analyses were conducted to study potential relationships between variables. Results: 40 questionnaires were returned (response rate 45%). The majority of respondents had no prior knowledge of parental support groups (n=23, 58 %) but perceived parental support groups as interesting (n=26, 65%) and important (n=27, 68%). The most frequently reported barriers were, not having time to attend parental support groups (n=7, 50%), having good support in parenting from elsewhere (n=6, 43%) and finding it difficult to arrange babysitting (n= 4, 29%), although a majority of respondents did not find the presented potential barriers as applicable. Conclusion: In this study, a lack of interest in parental support groups was not the major barrier to participation in parental support groups among parents in north-eastern Gothenburg. The findings rather suggest that poor knowledge in parental support groups as a form of support and practical concerns related to lack of time and child care are more likely to constitute barriers to participation. Future research should further explore such barriers in order to develop effective interventions to improve parental supports groups in north-eastern Gothenburg.