"Safe, connected, supported in a complex system." Exploring the views of women who had a First Nations baby at one of three maternity services offering culturally tailored continuity of midwife care in Victoria, Australia. A qualitative analysis of free-text survey responses.
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Date
2024-02-07
Journal Title
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Volume Title
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Affiliation(s)
(McCalman, Forster, Newton, McLardie-Hore, McLachlan) Judith Lumley Centre, School of Nursing and Midwifery, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
(McCalman, Newton, McLachlan) School of Nursing and Midwifery, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3052, Australia
(Forster, McLardie-Hore) The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
(McCalman, Newton, McLachlan) School of Nursing and Midwifery, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3052, Australia
(Forster, McLardie-Hore) The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
Year
2024
Citation
Women and Birth. Vol.37(3), 2024.
Journal
Women and Birth
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Grant information
No: GNT1110640 Organisation: (NHMRC) National Health and Medical Research Council Organisation No: 501100000925 Country: Australia
Additional funding was received from the Beischer Foundation and the Lowitja Institute.
Additional funding was received from the Beischer Foundation and the Lowitja Institute.
Abstract
Background: In Australia, continuity of midwife care is recommended for First Nations women to address the burden of inequitable perinatal outcomes experienced by First Nations women and newborns. Aim(s): This study aimed to explore the experiences of women having a First Nations baby who received care at one of three maternity services in Naarm (Melbourne), Victoria, where culturally tailored midwife continuity models had been implemented. Method(s): Women having a First Nations baby who were booked for care at one of three study sites were invited to participate in an evaluation of care. Thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data from responses to free-text, open ended questions that were included in a follow-up questionnaire at 3-6 months after the birth. Result(s): In total, 213 women (of whom 186 had continuity of midwife care) participated. The global theme for what women liked about their care was 'Safe, connected, supported' including emotional and clinical safety, having a known midwife and being supported 'my way'. The global theme for what women did not like about their care was 'A complex, fragmented and unsupportive system' including not being listened to, things not being explained, and a lack of cultural safety. Conclusion(s): Culturally tailored caseload midwifery models appear to make maternity care feel safer for women having a First Nations baby, however, the mainstream maternity care system remained challenging for some. These models should be implemented for First Nations women, and evidence-based frameworks, such as the RISE framework, should be used to facilitate change.Copyright © 2024 The Authors
PubMed ID
38302389 [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=38302389]
Type
Article
Study type
Qualitative study
Subjects
Maternal health
Cultural safety
Cultural safety