The information behaviours of disadvantaged young first-time mothers
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-03-2022-0072 |
| Published date | 28 June 2022 |
| Date | 28 June 2022 |
| Pages | 357-375 |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Records management & preservation,Document management,Classification & cataloguing,Information behaviour & retrieval,Collection building & management,Scholarly communications/publishing,Information & knowledge management,Information management & governance,Information management,Information & communications technology,Internet |
| Author | Steven Buchanan,Cara Jardine |
The information behaviours of
disadvantaged young
first-time mothers
Steven Buchanan
Department of Communications, Media and Culture, University of Stirling,
Stirling, UK, and
Cara Jardine
School of Social Work and Social Policy, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this study is to explore the information behaviours of socioeconomically
disadvantaged young first-time mothers, an understudied and at-risk group (health and well-being).
Design/methodology/approach –Questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with 39 young mothers
(aged up to 25 years of age) from UK areas of multiple deprivations.
Findings –Our participants’preferred sources of information are interpersonal sources with which they have
formed close supportive relationships. Support groups are important sources of interpersonal connection, but
young mothers are reluctant to attend groups involving older mothers. With the exception of support group
staff and health visitors, institutional and professional information sources are used very little. Societal stigma
is a significant issue influencing behaviours, but issues of institutional bureaucracy, information overload,
conflicting information and practical access are also reported. A further key factor influencing behaviour is
self-identity.
Research limitations/implications –Findings should not be considered representative of young mothers
as a whole as not all young mothers are disadvantaged. As our participants identified as ethnically white,
findings also cannot speak to the additional barriers experienced by women of colour. Further studies with
further population groups are recommended. More broadly, further studies exploring the influence of self-
identity on people’s information behaviours are also recommended.
Practical implications –Findings provide practical direction for health and welfare services, and public
libraries, to better support young mothers.
Originality/value –Findings contribute to conceptual and practical understandingof information poverty in
the socio-ecological context. Findings also evidence the role of self-identity in shaping people’s information
behaviours.
Keywords Information behaviour, Information poverty, Self-identity, Health communication,
Health education, Young mothers
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
This study explores the information behaviours of young first-time mothers (aged ≤25 years)
from UK areas of multiple deprivations (i.e. education, employment, income, health, crime,
housing, and access to services), with young mothers an understudied and at-risk group
(health and well-being). The study contributes to our holistic understanding of what
information sources are used and valued by young mothers, what are not, and why. Our
participants are caring and motivated mothers who when seeking parenting information
have to carefully navigate their way through information worlds due to societal stigma and
marginalisation. Findings contribute to our conceptual and practical understanding of
information poverty in the socio-ecological context, and draw further attention to structural
inequalities as a major contributory factor.
Information
behaviours of
mothers
357
Funding: This research was funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (No: ES/L012634/1).
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/0022-0418.htm
Received 31 March 2022
Revised 8 June 2022
Accepted 12 June 2022
Journal of Documentation
Vol. 79 No. 2, 2023
pp. 357-375
© Emerald Publishing Limited
0022-0418
DOI 10.1108/JD-03-2022-0072
2. Background
2.1 Young first-time mothers as a study group
The transition to motherhood is recognised as a period of “profound social change”(Prinds
et al., 2014, p. 734) and psychosocial adjustment for women (Kamali et al., 2018). Mercer notes
that it, “involves moving from a known, current reality to an unknown, new reality”(2004,
p. 226), further described by Prinds et al. as an, “existentially [life] changing event”(2014,
p. 733). It can transform how a woman thinks of herself and the world around her, and
generates new needs for knowledge and understanding. For example, Montesi and Bornstein
(2017, p. 201) comment that, “...becoming a mother implies a new perception of oneself as
more in need of information”. Such profound transformation can also be problematic, and
involve considerable anxiety and stress (e.g. Da Costa et al., 2015;Loudon et al., 2016). For
example, Carolan (2007, p. 1168) reports that, “Following birth and the immediate postpartum
euphoria, the new mother was confronted with the myriad concerns of her new role ...Many
described feeling really lost and helpless. Most felt ill-prepared and ill-equipped for their new
role”. Information helps preparedness, but unmet needs are reported, and correlated with
negative health outcomes (e.g. Gazmararian et al., 2014;Rotich and Wolvaardt, 2017).
Young mothers are reported to be at increased risk of negative health outcomes (World
Health Organisation, 2018). Infant mortality rates are higher than older mothers (Torvie et al.,
2015),as is risk of poor infant nutritionand care (Harron et al.,2016). Stress and anxiety are also
heightened, as are rates of depression (Raskin et al., 2016). Notwithstanding such significant
issues, motherhoodis also reported as a positive transformative experience foryoung women
(Duncan, 2007;Brand et al., 2014); however, young mothers are also subject to stigma and
judgement. Shoveller and Johnson argue that public discourse on parenthood predominantly
portrays young mothers as a problem and encourages marginalisation and “a climate of sex-
based shame”(2006,p. 47). They argue that public healthinterventions have been preoccupied
with risk and “what is wrong with the individual”, as opposed to the env ironment, and that
greaterattention needs to be givento how to “transform youths’socialcontexts and structures”
(2006,p. 56). Brand et al. discusshow this deficit view canlead to mothers concealingtheir needs
from health professionals due to “fear of stigmatisation and lac k of confidence”(2014, p. 175).
2.2 Previous studies examining the information behaviours of young mothers
For the purposes of this study, we sought to identify previous empirical studies involving
young women aged ≤25 years expecting or with their first child (primipara) and providing
insights into their information behaviou rs. A small number have been undertaken
exclusively with women aged ≤25 years either all primiparous (Owusu-Addo et al., 2016)
or majority primiparous (Greyson, 2017;Obrien et al., 2018).
Owusu-Addo et al. (2016) explored the information-seeking behaviours of 28 pregnant
women (aged 15–19 years) in Ghana. Preferred sources of information are reported to be
mothers, siblings, partners, friends and neighbours, with closeness and maternal experience
valued (p. 114). Professional sources are reported to be consulted to “a limited extent”and
largelylimited to urgent situations(p. 114). Informationfrom professionalsources is valued,but
not alwaysunderstood; and negativeattitudes of professionalsare also reported and attributed
to stigma.Young mothers are alsoreported to feel “shyand intimidated”in the presenc e of older
mothers at health clinics and reluctant to ask questions (p. 114). Only a minority of mothers
used printmaterials, and none used the Internet(with Internet accesslimited in the study zone).
Greyson (2017) explored the information practices of young parents in Canada, with 37 of
39 participants young mothers (avg. age 18.3 years). Participants are reported to spend a
substantial amount of time seeking information online, to frequently consult family and
friends, and similar to Owusu-Addo et al. (2016), limit interactions with professionals to
urgent situations. Much peer-based information sharing occurs in support groups, with some
mothers acting as intermediaries for others, and is described as “a common practice that both
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