Mothers’ Groups and Playgroups as a Setting for Maternal Health Promotion in Eastern Melbourne — Agentur Pty Ltd
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  3. Mothers’ Groups and Playgroups as a Setting for Maternal Health Promotion in Eastern Melbourne

Mothers’ Groups and Playgroups as a Setting for Maternal Health Promotion in Eastern Melbourne (5)

Selina Brandse 1 , Darshini Ayton 2 , Nerida Joss 2
  1. Northern Melbourne Medicare Local, Melbourne
  2. Global Health and Society Unit, Monash University, Melbourne

Background:

Mothers’ groups and playgroups are a potential setting for health promotion to promote health and wellbeing for mother and child. Poland (2009) highlights the importance of understanding the characteristics, context and resources of settings to inform health promotion interventions. Hence the aim of this research was to explore the landscape of mothers’ support services (MSS) programs, including private and not-for-profit mothers’ groups and playgroups, to determine how they promote maternal health.

Methods:

Nine MSS programs in the eastern metropolitan region of Melbourne were involved in this study. Private sector, government and faith-based models of MSS programs were analysed. A total of 40 in-depth interviews were conducted with mothers and MSS staff and key MSS documents analysed to identify the health promoting potential of MSS programs.

Results/Discussion:

This study found that private sector, government and faith-based MSS programs promote the health and wellbeing of participating mothers by creating social capital, social support and social inclusion, thus aiding their transition into motherhood. MSS programs can create networks of social support to promote physical health, as well as social inclusion which enhances the mental wellbeing of the mothers. Both faith-based and secular (not-for-profit and private) MSS models aim to create networks of social support to promote social inclusion which enhances the mental wellbeing of the mothers. However physical health promotion of mothers was the primary goal of the private sector mothers’ groups in this study.

Conclusions/implications:

MSS programs aim, either directly or indirectly, to support and promote the wellbeing and health of mothers, emotionally and sometimes physically. All models of MSS programs create networks of social support to promote social inclusion which enhances the mental wellbeing of the mothers. The findings of this research strengthen health promotion practice through generating an increased knowledge base of the health promotion activities and potential of MSS programs.

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