Demographic characteristics of participants.

Purpose
The present study examined mothers’ experiences with preterm infants in Accra, Ghana, at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic, existing poverty, and global economic depressions severely challenged access to communal, familial, and individual resources. We argue that, in a family crisis, contextual and external institutional resources, such as access to quality healthcare resources, play crucial roles in mothers’ risk exposure and adaptation.
Study design/methodology/approach
Using a qualitative approach with an immersive exploratory-descriptive design, the study interviewed twenty-five (25) mothers whose preterm infants were discharged from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana.
Findings
The study showed that mothers of preterm infants experienced varying range of challenges, including diminished appetite, decreased productivity, and feelings of hopelessness, both during and following their infants’ hospitalization. Having access to adequate income, information, medication, and experienced medical practitioners remains critical to the management of stressful situations associated with the care of preterm children.
Conclusion for practice
Access to funding, preterm information, quality medication, and qualified health professionals can help mothers of preterm infants’ better deal with negative experiences than those who do not have adequate amounts of these resources. Access to critical resources can safeguard mothers’ mental health and the survival of preterm infants within the first year of delivery. A policy on the existing national health insurance scheme can be enacted to expand coverage and absorb the cost of care for the mother and child within the first eighteen months after delivery.

研究目的
本研究旨在考察加纳阿克拉地区早产儿（preterm infants）母亲的照护体验，彼时新冠疫情（COVID-19 pandemic）、长期贫困与全球经济衰退严重制约了社区、家庭及个人资源的可及性。我们认为，在家庭危机中，情境性与外部制度性资源——如优质医疗资源的可及性——对母亲的风险暴露与适应过程发挥着关键作用。

研究设计/方法论/研究方法
本研究采用质性研究范式，结合沉浸式探索性描述性设计，对加纳阿克拉科拉布教学医院新生儿重症监护室（Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, NICU）出院的25名早产儿母亲进行了访谈。

研究结果
本研究发现，早产儿母亲在患儿住院期间及出院后均面临多维度挑战，包括食欲减退、生产力下降以及无望感。获得充足收入、相关信息、药物与经验丰富的医护人员，仍是应对早产儿照护相关压力情境的关键因素。

实践启示
相较于资源不足的早产儿母亲，获得资金支持、早产儿相关信息、优质药物与合格医护人员，可帮助她们更好地应对负面照护体验。关键资源的可及性能够保障产妇的心理健康，并提升分娩后第一年内早产儿的存活率。建议针对现有国家健康保险计划出台相关政策，扩大保障覆盖范围，并承担分娩后18个月内母婴的照护成本。