"If I blink twice everything is OK" - A qualitative study of Swedish midwives' strategies for supporting birthing women while working in full personal protective equipment

PROBLEM

Midwives all over the world have had to adapt to the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The issue of how they managed to support birthing women, despite the use of PPE, has been insufficiently studied.

BACKGROUND

Midwives support birthing women in one of their most life-changing situations. Having COVID-19 at the time of childbirth makes birthing women even more vulnerable. PPE has been shown to impact the ability of providing support to birthing women.

AIM

To describe midwives' strategies for supporting birthing women while working in full PPE METHODS: A qualitative study based on focus group discussons with Swedish midwives. Data were analysed by inductive content analysis.

FINDINGS

To support birthing women while in full PPE, the midwives adapted existing working methods, increased collaboration with colleagues, unveiled, adapted to the requirements for contagion prevention, addressed women's concern for the midwife and maintained focus on the birth while remaining mindful of the risk of contagion.

DISCUSSION

Midwives adopted strategies in order to uphold provision of support to the birthing women, as well as to address contextual factors related to PPE that hinder provision of support.

CONCLUSION

The respective effects of different PPE types and models on the birth experience should be explored. Explicit strategies for supporting birthing women while working in full PPE must be created and discussed among midwives.

Intersectionality in nursing research: A systematic review

AIM

This systematic literature review aimed to identify, appraise and synthesize available research studies that apply intersectionality in nursing research.

DESIGN

Systematic review.

DATA SOURCES

Empirical and theoretical nursing studies published before February 2022 were identified from the PubMed and CINAHL databases. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they substantially covered the topics of intersectionality and nursing, had undergone peer-review, and were written in English.

REVIEW METHODS

The PRISMA 2020 statement for reporting systematic reviews was used to report findings. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tools were used to assess the quality of the included research studies.

RESULTS

Out of 331 identified studies, 60 studies were substantially about nursing and intersectionality, and were included in the review. There are a myriad of ways that the concept of intersectionality has been adopted in nursing research. Furthermore, there was great heterogeneity in the definition and application of the concept of intersectionality, and only a few studies were empirical.

CONCLUSION

There is a need for robust and clear framing of how the concept of intersectionality is defined and understood in nursing research. There is also a need for more empirical research effectively adopting the concept of intersectionality to enhance our understanding of how health inequities operate within the field of nursing.

NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

No patients, service users, caregivers or members of the public were involved in this work.

The COPE Staff study: Study description and initial report regarding job satisfaction, work-life conflicts, stress, and burnout among Swedish maternal and neonatal healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVE

To describe the study design of the COPE Staff cohort study on working conditions for maternal and neonatal healthcare workers (MNHCWs), and present baseline data regarding job satisfaction, work-life conflicts, stress, and burnout.

METHODS

Between January and April 2021, 957 MNHCWs (administrative and medical staff) completed a baseline survey. Average levels of job satisfaction, work-life conflicts, stress, and burnout, and associations to perceived workload were assessed.

RESULTS

The average levels of job satisfaction, work-life conflicts, stress, and burnout were 68.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] 64.3-72.8), 42.6 (95% CI 37.3-48.0), 42.0 (95% CI 37.7-46.3), and 1.9 (95% CI 1.6-2.2), respectively. The respondents scoring above critical values indicating clinical burnout ranged between 3% and 18%, respectively, for the four burnout sub-dimensions. Women reported significantly higher levels of stress and burnout. Younger participants had lower job satisfaction and higher levels of work-life conflicts, stress, and burnout. Higher perceived workload was significantly associated with lower job satisfaction levels and higher levels of work-life conflicts, stress, and burnout.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate associations between MNHCWs perceived workload and job satisfaction, work-life conflicts, stress, and burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eighteen percent scored above critical values for exhaustion.

Working conditions for healthcare workers at a Swedish university hospital infectious disease department during the COVID-19 pandemic: barriers and facilitators to maintaining employee wellbeing

Background

Healthcare workers (HCWs) at infectious disease departments have held the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to maintaining the employees' wellbeing that may be used to increase preparedness for future pandemics within ID Departments.

Methods

In September 2020, a web-based survey on demographics and work environment was distributed to all HCWs at the Infectious Disease Department at Sahlgrenska University Hospital. Results were compared with a pre-COVID-19 survey from October 2019. A quantitative analysis of the overall effects of the pandemic on the working conditions of HCWs was conducted; in addition, a qualitative content analysis of open-ended responses was performed.

Results

In total, 222 and 149 HCWs completed the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 surveys (84 and 54% response rate), respectively. Overall, we found significant changes regarding increased workload, lack of emotional support in stressful work situations, and inability to recover after shifts. These factors correlated both with younger age and concern of becoming infected. The open-ended answers (n = 103, 69%) revealed five generic categories (Workload; Organizational support; Worry and ethical stress; Capability; and Cooperation and unity) with a total of 14 identified factors representing plausible individual and organizational-level barriers or facilitators to sustained employee wellbeing.

Conclusion

Younger HCWs as well as those expressing worries about contracting the infection were found to be particularly affected during the COVID-19 pandemic and these groups may require additional support in future outbreaks. Factors both increasing and decreasing the pandemic-induced negative health consequences for HCWs were identified; this knowledge may be utilized in the future.

The experience of being a partner to a childbearing woman whose pregnancy is complicated by pre-eclampsia: A Swedish qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Pre-eclampsia affects 3-5% of all pregnant women and is among the leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality as well as iatrogenic preterm birth worldwide. Little is known about the experience of partners of women whose pregnancy is complicated by pre-eclampsia.

AIM

To describe partners' experience of having a spouse whose pregnancy was complicated by pre-eclampsia.

METHODS

A qualitative study with in-depth interviews. Eight partners of women whose pregnancy was complicated by pre-eclampsia were interviewed and data were analysed using content analysis.

FINDINGS

Partners found themselves in an unfamiliar and unexpected situation. They experienced an information gap in which they tried to make sense of the situation by interpreting subtle signs. The situation left them feeling emotionally stretched, feeling like an outsider while trying to provide support for their extended family. The partners experienced a split focus after the baby was born, prioritising the baby while worrying about their spouse. Post-partum, they expressed needing time to process and heal after childbirth. A need for professional support was highlighted and concerns about a future pregnancy were voiced.

CONCLUSION

Having a spouse who is diagnosed with pre-eclampsia is challenging and overwhelming. Our findings imply a need to develop a model of care for women with pre-eclampsia that includes their partner, i.e., the other parent.

An actinometric method to characterize performance of reflecting UVC reactors used for water treatment

The applicability of chemical actinometry to characterize the fluence in UV reactors with reflections, non-parallel light, and variable water transmittance is limited due to the unknown effective path length or hydraulic shortcuts within the reactor. In this study, the effects of reflection and transmittance on actinometry were examined and a new, optimized and easy method for determining fluence was developed. KI/KIO₃ and uridine actinometry experiments were carried out under controlled conditions using a collimated beam apparatus and a completely mixed batch reactor with or without diffuse reflection and compared to biodosimetry results. Whereas optically opaque actinometers such as KI/KIO₃ are not directly capable of predicting the fluence of reflecting reactors, the results of uridine actinometry are influenced by reflection and transmission. To precisely predict the fluence rate in UV reactors with uridine, knowledge about the effective optical path length of the light is needed. Here, an existing method to mathematically calculate the optical path length was adopted and optimized for uridine actinometry. Results for average fluence were validated by biodosimetry using MS2 phages under different degrees of reflection and transmission. It could be shown that by modifying the bottom of the reactor with diffusely reflecting polytetrafluoroethylene foil, the fluence rate was increased by a factor of approximately 2.6 and the path length by factor of 2.4. When only half of the bottom was covered with reflective foil, fluence rate increased by a factor of 1.8 and path length by 1.8. Although this new approach cannot replace biodosimetry, to predict the fluence distribution received by microorganisms, it can provide means to characterize more complex reactor designs, validate results of advanced reactor modeling, and quantify fluence for non-parallel irradiation and reflective light, especially for the application of high fluence (e.g., advanced oxidation processes), where biodosimetry may be too sensitive. Further, comparing the fluence obtained with actinometry to the results of biodosimetry might qualitatively indicate hydraulic short cuts or unideal fluence distributions for flow-through reactors.

Factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding at discharge during the COVID-19 pandemic in 17 WHO European Region countries

BACKGROUND

Exclusive breastfeeding is the optimal infant nutrition, providing infants immunoprotection against many diseases including SARS-CoV-2 infection. Restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic may have negatively affected breastfeeding practices in maternity care facilities. The aims of the study were to examine exclusive breastfeeding rates at discharge over time and to identify factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding during the pandemic.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among mothers who gave birth in a maternity care facility in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. The socio-ecological model was employed to examine intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, and community/society factors associated with maternal report of exclusive breastfeeding at the time of discharge.

RESULTS

There were 26,709 participating mothers from 17 European Region countries who were included in the analysis. Among the mothers, 72.4% (n = 19,350) exclusively breastfed and 27.6% (n = 7,359) did not exclusively breastfeed at discharge. There was an overall decline in exclusive breastfeeding rates over time (p = 0.015) with a significantly lower rate following the publication of the WHO breastfeeding guidelines on 23 June 2020 (AOR 0.88; 95% CI 0.82, 0.94). Factors significantly associated with exclusive breastfeeding outcomes in the logistic regression analysis included maternal age, parity, education, health insurance, mode of birth, inadequate breastfeeding support, lack of early breastfeeding initiation, lack of full rooming-in, birth attendant, perceived healthcare professionalism and attention, facility room cleanliness, timing of birth, and location of birth.

CONCLUSIONS

Results from the study indicate the decline in exclusive breastfeeding rates in the WHO European Region during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the socio-ecological model to identify factors associated with breastfeeding outcomes facilitates an integrated and holistic approach to address breastfeeding needs among women across the region. These findings demonstrate the need to augment breastfeeding support and to protect exclusive breastfeeding among mother-infant dyads, in an effort to reverse the declining exclusive breastfeeding rates. The study highlights the need to educate mothers and their families about the importance of exclusive breastfeeding, reduce maternal-infant separation, increase professional breastfeeding support, and follow evidence-based practice guidelines to promote breastfeeding in a comprehensive and multi-level manner.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

Clinical Trials NCT04847336.

Quality of health care around the time of childbirth during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from the IMAgiNE EURO study in Norway and trends over time

OBJECTIVE

To describe maternal perception of the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) in facilities in Norway during the first year of COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Women who gave birth in a Norwegian facility from March 1, 2020, to October 28, 2021, filled out a structured online questionnaire based on 40 WHO standards-based quality measures. Quantile regression analysis was performed to assess changes in QMNC index over time.

RESULTS

Among 3326 women included, 3085 experienced labor. Of those, 1799 (58.3%) reported that their partner could not be present as much as needed, 918 (29.8%) noted inadequate staff numbers, 183 (43.6%) lacked a consent request for instrumental vaginal birth (IVB), 1067 (34.6%) reported inadequate communication from staff, 78 (18.6%) reported fundal pressure during IVB, 670 (21.7%) reported that they were not treated with dignity, and 249 (8.1%) reported experiencing abuse. The QMNC index increased gradually over time (3.68 points per month, 95% CI, 2.83-4.53 for the median), with the domains of COVID-19 reorganizational changes and experience of care displaying the greatest increases, while provision of care was stable over time.

CONCLUSION

Although several measures showed high QMNC in Norway during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a gradual improvement over time, several findings suggest that gaps in QMNC exist. These gaps should be addressed and monitored.

Quality of maternal and newborn care around the time of childbirth for migrant versus nonmigrant women during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results of the IMAgiNE EURO study in 11 countries of the WHO European region

OBJECTIVE

To describe the perception of quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) around the time of childbirth among migrant and nonmigrant women in Europe.

METHODS

Women who gave birth at a health facility in 11 countries of the WHO European Region from March 2020 to July 2021 were invited to answer an online questionnaire including demographics and childbirth experience. Data were analyzed and compared for 1781 migrant and 20 653 nonmigrant women.

RESULTS

Migrant women who experienced labor perceived slightly more difficulties in attending routine antenatal visits (41.2% vs 39.4%; P = 0.001), more barriers in accessing facilities (32.9% vs 29.9%; P = 0.001), lack of timely care (14.7% vs 13.0%; P = 0.025), inadequate room comfort and equipment (9.2% vs 8.5%; P = 0.004), inadequate number of women per room (9.4% vs 8.6%; P = 0.039), being prevented from staying with their baby as they wished (7.8% vs 6.9%; P = 0.011), or suffering abuse (14.5% vs 12.7%; P = 0.022) compared with nonmigrant women. For women who had a prelabor cesarean, migrant women were more likely not to receive pain relief after birth (16.8% vs.13.5%; P = 0.039) and less likely to provide informal payment (1.8% vs 4.4%; P = 0.005) compared with nonmigrant women. Overall, the QMNC index was not significantly different for migrant compared with nonmigrant women.

CONCLUSION

Gaps in overall QMNC were reported by both migrant and nonmigrant women, with improvements to healthcare necessary for all.

Women's perspectives on the quality of hospital maternal and newborn care around the time of childbirth during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from the IMAgiNE EURO study in Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina

OBJECTIVE

To assess the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) in countries of the former Yugoslavia.

METHOD

Women giving birth in a facility in Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina between March 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021 answered an online questionnaire including 40 WHO standards-based quality measures.

RESULTS

A total of 4817 women were included in the analysis. Significant differences were observed across countries. Among those experiencing labor, 47.4%-62.3% of women perceived a reduction in QMNC due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 40.1%-69.7% experienced difficulties in accessing routine antenatal care, 60.3%-98.1% were not allowed a companion of choice, 17.4%-39.2% reported that health workers were not always using personal protective equipment, and 21.2%-53.8% rated the number of health workers as insufficient. Episiotomy was performed in 30.9%-62.8% of spontaneous vaginal births. Additionally, 22.6%-55.9% of women received inadequate breastfeeding support, 21.5%-62.8% reported not being treated with dignity, 11.0%-30.5% suffered abuse, and 0.7%-26.5% made informal payments. Multivariate analyses confirmed significant differences among countries, with Slovenia showing the highest QMNC index, followed by Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Serbia.

CONCLUSION

Differences in QMNC among the countries of the former Yugoslavia during the COVID-19 pandemic were significant. Activities to promote high-quality, evidence-based, respectful care for all mothers and newborns are urgently needed.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov Identifier: NCT04847336.

Rates of instrumental vaginal birth and cesarean and quality of maternal and newborn health care in private versus public facilities: Results of the IMAgiNE EURO study in 16 countries

OBJECTIVE

To explore the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) during the COVID-19 pandemic by facility type among 16 European countries, comparing rates of instrumental vaginal birth and cesarean.

METHODS

Women who gave birth in the WHO European Region from March 1, 2020, to February 7, 2022, answered a validated online questionnaire. Rates of instrumental birth, instrumental vaginal birth, and cesarean, and a QMNC index were calculated for births in public versus private facilities.

RESULTS

Responses from 25 206 participants were analyzed. Women giving birth in private compared with public facilities reported significantly more frequent total cesarean (32.5% vs 19.0%; aOR 1.70; 95% CI 1.52-1.90), elective cesarean (17.3% vs 7.8%; aOR 1.90; 95% CI 1.65-2.19), and emergency cesarean before labor (7.4% vs 3.9%; aOR 1.39; 95% CI 1.14-1.70) (P < 0.001 for all comparisons), with analyses by country confirming these results. QMNC index results were heterogeneous across countries and regions in the same country and were largely affected by geographical distribution of regions rather than by type of facility alone.

CONCLUSION

The study confirms that births in private facilities have higher odds of cesarean. It also suggests that QMNC should be closely monitored in all facilities to achieve high-quality care, independent of facility type or geographical distribution.

CLINICALTRIALS

GOV IDENTIFIER

NCT04847336.

Women's perspectives on the quality of maternal and newborn care in childbirth during the COVID-19 pandemic in Latvia: Results from the IMAgiNE EURO study on 40 WHO standards-based quality measures

OBJECTIVE

To investigate women's perspectives on the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) around the time of childbirth during the COVID-19 pandemic in Latvia, comparing the years 2020 and 2021, among women who went into labor or had a prelabor cesarean.

METHODS

Women giving birth in healthcare facilities in Latvia from March 1, 2020, to October 28, 2021, answered an online questionnaire including 40 WHO standards-based quality measures. Descriptive and multivariate quantile regression analyses were performed to compare QMNC in 2020 and 2021.

RESULTS

2079 women were included in the analysis: 1860 women who went into labor (group 1) and 219 with prelabor cesarean (group 2). Among group 1, 66.4% (n = 99/149) of women received fundal pressure in an instrumental vaginal birth, 43.5% (n = 810) lacked involvement in choices, 17.4% (n = 317) reported suffering abuse, 32.7% (n = 609) reported inadequate breastfeeding support while 5.2% (n = 96) lack of early breastfeeding. A significant reduction in QMNC due to the COVID-19 pandemic was reported by 29.5% (n = 219) and 25.0% (n = 270) of respondents in 2020 and 2021, respectively (P = 0.045). Multivariate analyses highlighted a significantly lower QMNC index for 2020 compared with 2021 (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

This first study investigating QMNC in Latvia showed significant gaps in QMNC perceived by respondents, with slightly better results in 2021. Appropriate healthcare strategies to improve health care for women and newborns in Latvia are required.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov Identifier:NCT04847336.

Quality of maternal and newborn care in Switzerland during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study based on WHO quality standards

OBJECTIVE

To explore quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) in healthcare facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland.

METHODS

Women giving birth in Switzerland answered a validated online questionnaire including 40 WHO standards-based quality measures. QMNC score was calculated according to linguistic region and mode of birth. Differences were assessed using logistic regression analysis adjusting for relevant variables.

RESULTS

A total of 1175 women were included in the analysis. Limitations in QMNC during the pandemic were reported by 328 (27.9%) women. Several quality measures, such as deficient communication (18.0%, n = 212), insufficient number of healthcare professionals (19.7%, n = 231), no information on the newborn after cesarean (26.5%, n = 91) or maternal and newborn danger signs (34.1%, n = 401 and 41.4% n = 487, respectively) suggested preventable gaps in QMNC. Quality measures significantly differed by linguistic region and mode of birth. Multivariate analysis established a significantly lower QMNC for women in French- and Italian-speaking regions compared with the German-speaking region. Moreover, in several quality indicators reflecting communication with healthcare providers, women who did not answer the questionnaire in one of the Swiss national languages had significantly worse scores than others. A significant lower QMNC was also found for young and primiparous women and for those who experienced cesarean or instrumental vaginal birth.

CONCLUSION

Women giving birth in Switzerland during the pandemic reported notable gaps in QMNC. Providers should be attuned to women who are younger, primiparous, and those who had an emergency cesarean or instrumental vaginal birth given the lower QMNC reported by these groups. Women who did not respond in a Swiss national language may need improved communication strategies.

Women's assessment of the quality of hospital-based perinatal care by mode of birth in Romania during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from the IMAgiNE EURO study

OBJECTIVE

To assess women's perceptions of the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) received in hospitals in Romania during the COVID-19 pandemic by mode of birth.

METHODS

A validated anonymous online questionnaire based on WHO quality measures. Subgroup analysis of spontaneous vaginal birth (SVB), emergency cesarean, and elective cesarean and multivariate analyses were performed, and QMNC indexes were calculated. Maternal age, educational level, year of birth, mother born in Romania, parity, type of hospital, and type of professionals assisting the birth were used for multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 620 women completed the survey. Overall, several quality measures suggested gaps in QMNC in Romania, with the lowest QMNC indexes reported for provision of care and availability of resources. Women who had either elective or emergency cesarean compared with those who had SVB more frequently lacked early breastfeeding (OR 2.04 and 2.13, respectively), skin-to-skin contact (OR 1.73 and 1.75, respectively), rooming-in (OR 2.07 and 1.96, respectively), and exclusive breastfeeding at discharge (OR 2.27 and 1.64, respectively). Compared with elective cesarean, emergency cesarean had higher odds of ineffective communication by healthcare providers (OR 1.65), lack of involvement in choices (OR 1.58), insufficient emotional support (OR 2.07), and no privacy (OR 2.06). Compared with other modes of birth, a trend for lower QMNC indexes for emergency cesarean was observed for all domains, while for elective cesarean the QMNC index for provision of care was significantly lower.

CONCLUSION

Quality indicators of perinatal care remain behind targets in Romania, with births by cesarean the most affected.

CLINICALTRIALS

GOV IDENTIFIER

NCT04847336.

Regional differences in the quality of maternal and neonatal care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal: Results from the IMAgiNE EURO study

OBJECTIVE

To compare women's perspectives on the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) around the time of childbirth across Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics 2 (NUTS-II) regions in Portugal during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Women participating in the cross-sectional IMAgiNE EURO study who gave birth in Portugal from March 1, 2020, to October 28, 2021, completed a structured questionnaire with 40 key WHO standards-based quality measures. Four domains of QMNC were assessed: (1) provision of care; (2) experience of care; (3) availability of human and physical resources; and (4) reorganizational changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Frequencies for each quality measure within each QMNC domain were computed overall and by region.

RESULTS

Out of 1845 participants, one-third (33.7%) had a cesarean. Examples of high-quality care included: low frequencies of lack of early breastfeeding and rooming-in (8.0% and 7.7%, respectively) and informal payment (0.7%); adequate staff professionalism (94.6%); adequate room comfort and equipment (95.2%). However, substandard practices with large heterogeneity across regions were also reported. Among women who experienced labor, the percentage of instrumental vaginal births ranged from 22.3% in the Algarve to 33.5% in Center; among these, fundal pressure ranged from 34.8% in Lisbon to 66.7% in Center. Episiotomy was performed in 39.3% of noninstrumental vaginal births with variations between 31.8% in the North to 59.8% in Center. One in four women reported inadequate breastfeeding support (26.1%, ranging from 19.4% in Algarve to 31.5% in Lisbon). One in five reported no exclusive breastfeeding at discharge (22.1%; 19.5% in Lisbon to 28.2% in Algarve).

CONCLUSION

Urgent actions are needed to harmonize QMNC and reduce inequities across regions in Portugal.

Individual and country-level variables associated with the medicalization of birth: Multilevel analyses of IMAgiNE EURO data from 15 countries in the WHO European region

OBJECTIVE

To investigate potential associations between individual and country-level factors and medicalization of birth in 15 European countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Online anonymous survey of women who gave birth in 2020-2021. Multivariable multilevel logistic regression models estimating associations between indicators of medicalization (cesarean, instrumental vaginal birth [IVB], episiotomy, fundal pressure) and proxy variables related to care culture and contextual factors at the individual and country level.

RESULTS

Among 27 173 women, 24.4% (n = 6650) had a cesarean and 8.8% (n = 2380) an IVB. Among women with IVB, 41.9% (n = 998) reported receiving fundal pressure. Among women with spontaneous vaginal births, 22.3% (n = 4048) had an episiotomy. Less respectful care, as perceived by the women, was associated with higher levels of medicalization. For example, women who reported having a cesarean, IVB, or episiotomy reported not feeling treated with dignity more frequently than women who did not have those interventions (odds ratio [OR] 1.37; OR 1.61; OR 1.51, respectively; all: P < 0.001). Country-level variables contributed to explaining some of the variance between countries.

CONCLUSION

We recommend a greater emphasis in health policies on promotion of respectful and patient-centered care approaches to birth to enhance women's experiences of care, and the development of a European-level indicator to monitor medicalization of reproductive care.

Exclusive breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic in 17 WHO European Region countries

Background

Maternal experience of labour and delivery is multidimensional and is influenced by a variety of factors.

Aim

to report maternal childbirth experience as described by the women themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden using a WHO Standards-based tool adapted for an online survey (Quality of maternal and newborn care-QMNC).

Methods

Women ≥ 18 years of age who gave birth from March 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021 were asked to give voluntary consent to participate in an online survey. The survey included 40 questions on four key domains: provision of care, experience of care, availability of human and physical resources and organisational changes due to COVID-19.

Results

5003 women were included in the analysis. Among those who underwent labour (n = 4528), 46.7% perceived a reduction in QMNC due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 50.7% were not allowed a companion of choice, 62.5% reported that health workers were not always using protective personal equipment and 36.5% rated the number of health workers as “insufficient”. Fundal pressure was applied in 22.2% of instrumental vaginal births and 36.8% received inadequate breastfeeding support. In addition, 18.4% of women did not feel treated with dignity and 6.9% reported some form of abuse. In general, findings were significantly worse among women who did not undergo labour (n = 475).

Conclusions

Swedish mothers’ satisfaction of care provided during childbirth was strongly influenced by many variables. Actions to promote high-quality, evidence-based, patient-centered respectful care for all mothers and newborns are urgently needed.

Challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic on the Obstetrics and Gynecology residency program: a mixed-methods Swedish survey in the COPE Staff cohort study

BACKGROUND

To outline how the training program and work situation of residents in Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-GYN) was affected by the pandemic and to illuminate how residents experienced these changes.

METHODS

As part of the COVID-19 in Pregnancy and Early Childhood Staff (COPE Staff) cohort study, between January and May 2021, all participating residents were invited to answer a 28-question online Resident Survey focusing on their specialist education, work situation and experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Descriptive statistics were given in percentages for categorical variables and means and standard deviations (SD) for continuous variables. Univariate comparative analyses were performed with the use of the Pearson's Chi-2-test for dichotomous data. The association between residents' worry about the quality and length of their specialist training, with extra clinical hours and transfer to other healthcare institutions were assessed by multivariate logistic regression. Free text responses were analyzed by content analysis.

RESULTS

Of the 162 participating OB-GYN residents, 69% expressed concern that the pandemic would have a negative impact on their training. Ninety-five (95%) reported cancellation/postponement of educational activities, 70% performed fewer surgeries and 27% had been transferred to other healthcare institutions where about half reported having gained more general knowledge as a physician. Working extra clinical hours was reported by 69% (7.4 ± 5.3 hours per week) and 14% had considered changing their profession due to the pandemic. Senior residents, compared to junior residents, more often experienced cancelled/postponed clinical rotations (30% vs 15%, P=0.02) and reported performing fewer surgeries (P=0.02). The qualitative analysis highlighted the lack of surgical procedural training as a major concern for residents.

CONCLUSION

The COVID-19 pandemic has strongly impacted the training program and work situation of OB-GYN residents in Sweden. Residents were concerned over the negative impact of the pandemic on their training program and senior residents reported more missed educational opportunities as compared to junior residents. Program directors, head of institutions and clinical supervisors can use the problem areas pinpointed by this study to support residents and compensate for missed educational opportunities. While hands-on-training and operating time cannot be compensated for, the authors hope that the findings of the study can help develop new strategies to minimize the negative impact of the current and future pandemics on resident education and work situation.

Working conditions for hospital-based maternity and neonatal health care workers during extraordinary situations - A pre-/post COVID-19 pandemic analysis and lessons learned

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate how the changed work routines during the COVID-19 pandemic has been affecting the working environment for hospital-based maternity and neonatal health care workers, and to identify preventive measures to be used in future situations when health care organizations are under pressure.

Methods

All maternity and neonatal health care workers in a Swedish university hospital were surveyed during October 2019 and September 2020. The data was analyzed by document analysis of implemented changes in working routines, a quantitative analysis of the overall effects on the working conditions, and a qualitative analysis of open-ended responses.

Results

A total of 660 maternity and neonatal health care workers completed the pre-COVID-19 survey (74% response rate) and 382 the COVID-19 survey (35% response rate). Lack of personal protective equipment, worry about becoming infected, uncertainty whether implemented changes were enough, and challenges in communicating updated routines had negative effects on maternity and neonatal health care workers’ working conditions. Team spirit and feeling valued by peers had a positive effect.

Conclusions

Results suggest that negative effects on maternity and neonatal health care workers’ health can partly be prevented in future critical situations by creating a work climate that acknowledges the employees’ worry about being infected, securing adequate pre-conditions for managers, creating a strong psychosocial safety climate and systematically improving the working conditions for the maternity and neonatal health care workers, as well as maintaining the positive perceived effects of increased team spirit and feeling valued by peers.

WHO Standards-based questionnaire to measure health workers' perspective on the quality of care around the time of childbirth in the WHO European region: development and mixed-methods validation in six countries

OBJECTIVES

Develop and validate a WHO Standards-based online questionnaire to measure the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) around the time of childbirth from the health workers' perspective.

DESIGN

Mixed-methods study.

SETTING

Six countries of the WHO European Region.

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS

The questionnaire is based on lessons learnt in previous studies, and was developed in three sequential phases: (1) WHO Quality Measures were prioritised and content, construct and face validity were assessed through a Delphi involving a multidisciplinary board of experts from 11 countries of the WHO European Region; (2) translation/back translation of the English version was conducted following The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research guidelines; (3) internal consistency, intrarater reliability and acceptability were assessed among 600 health workers in six countries.

RESULTS

The questionnaire included 40 items based on WHO Standards Quality Measures, equally divided into four domains: provision of care, experience of care, availability of human and physical resources, organisational changes due to COVID-19; and its organised in six sections. It was translated/back translated in 12 languages: Bosnian, Croatian, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish. The Cronbach's alpha values were ≥0.70 for each questionnaire section where questions were hypothesised to be interrelated, indicating good internal consistence. Cohen K or Gwet's AC1 values were ≥0.60, suggesting good intrarater reliability, except for one question. Acceptability was good with only 1.70% of health workers requesting minimal changes in question wording.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that the questionnaire has good content, construct, face validity, internal consistency, intrarater reliability and acceptability in six countries of the WHO European Region. Future studies may further explore the questionnaire's use in other countries, and how to translate evidence generated by this tool into policies to improve the QMNC.

TRAIL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT04847336.

Attitudes of German GP trainees regarding add-on training programs differ if in office or hospital training phase

BACKGROUND

Many residents are exposed to negative attitudes towards primary care during hospital training. Attractive add-on training programs exist, but it is unclear whether these need to be tailored to the location of training (hospital vs. office). We report differences in learner attitudes from a large German add-on training program.

METHODS

Between 2017 and 2020, a regional network offered 31 quarterly seminars to primary care residents. The seminars addressed medical content, practice management and mentoring. We elicited participants' satisfaction, perceived topic relevance, preferences for future seminars, work situation and employer support for participation. A proportionate odds model was used to assess predictors of ratings; results were stratified by training location (hospital vs. office).

RESULTS

Most respondents were female (380/575 = 70.0%), aged between 26 and 40 (80.8%), and had on average 3.54 ± 1.64 years of residency training. The majority (83.8%) was working in an office and full-time (63.0%). Overall evaluations were positive (very satisfactory 72.1%). Comparing residents in the hospital phase vs. the office phase, overall seminar ratings of the perceived impact on the motivation for primary care did not differ (p = 0.73 vs. 0.18, respectively). Hospital-based residents were less likely to rate the topics as relevant (39.4% vs. 55.7%, p = 0.02) and had different preferences for future seminar topics (top 3: palliative care, emergencies and chronic care vs. billing, disease management and practice finances for hospital and office phase, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Keeping primary care residents motivated may require education tailored to training location. Our findings may be of interest to teachers, administrators and policymakers.

Quality of facility-based maternal and newborn care around the time of childbirth during the COVID-19 pandemic: online survey investigating maternal perspectives in 12 countries of the WHO European Region

BACKGROUND

Multi-country studies assessing the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) during the COVID-19 pandemic, as defined by WHO Standards, are lacking.

METHODS

Women who gave birth in 12 countries of the WHO European Region from March 1, 2020 - March 15, 2021 answered an online questionnaire, including 40 WHO Standard-based Quality Measures.

FINDINGS

21,027 mothers were included in the analysis. Among those who experienced labour (N=18,063), 41·8% (26·1%- 63·5%) experienced difficulties in accessing antenatal care, 62% (12·6%-99·0%) were not allowed a companion of choice, 31·1% (16·5%-56·9%) received inadequate breastfeeding support, 34·4% (5·2%-64·8%) reported that health workers were not always using protective personal equipment, and 31·8% (17·8%-53·1%) rated the health workers' number as "insufficient". Episiotomy was performed in 20·1% (6·1%-66·0%) of spontaneous vaginal births and fundal pressure applied in 41·2% (11·5% -100%) of instrumental vaginal births. In addition, 23·9% women felt they were not treated with dignity (12·8%-59·8%), 12·5% (7·0%-23·4%) suffered abuse, and 2·4% (0·1%-26·2%) made informal payments. Most findings were significantly worse among women with prelabour caesarean birth (N=2,964). Multivariate analyses confirmed significant differences among countries, with Croatia, Romania, Serbia showing significant lower QMNC Indexes and Luxemburg showing a significantly higher QMNC Index than the total sample. Younger women and those with operative births also reported significantly lower QMNC Indexes.

INTERPRETATION

Mothers reports revealed large inequities in QMNC across countries of the WHO European Region. Quality improvement initiatives to reduce these inequities and promote evidence-based, patient-centred respectful care for all mothers and newborns during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond are urgently needed.

FUNDING

The study was financially supported by the Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.

STUDY REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04847336.

Quality of care at childbirth: findings of IMAgiNE EURO in Italy during the first year of the COVID‐19 pandemic

Objective

Investigate the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) during childbirth in the first year of COVID‐19 pandemic in Italy, from the mothers' perspective, as key service users.

Methods

Women who gave birth in an Italian facility from March 1, 2020 to February 29, 2021 answered an online questionnaire including 40 WHO Standard‐based Quality Measures. Descriptive and multivariate quantile regression analyses were performed.

Results

In total, 4824 women were included, reporting heterogeneity of practices across regions: among 3981 women who underwent labour 78.4% (63.0%–92.0%) were not allowed a companion of choice, 44.6% (28.9%–53.3%) had difficulties in attending routine antenatal visits, 36.3% (24.9%–61.1%) reported inadequate breastfeeding support, 39.2% (23.3%–62.2%) felt not involved in medical choices, 33.0% (23.9%–49.3%) experienced unclear communication from staff, 24.8% (15.9%–39.4%) were not always treated with dignity and 12.7% (10.1%–29.3%) reported abuses. Findings in the group of women who did not experience labour were substantially similar. Multivariate analyses confirmed a significant lower QMNC index for regions in southern Italy compared to North and Central regions.

Conclusion

Mothers reported substantial inequities in the QMNC across Italian regions. Future studies should monitor QMNC over time. Meanwhile, actions to ensure high QMNC for all mothers and newborns across Italy are urgently required.

Mothers giving birth in the first year of the COVID‐19 pandemic reported substantial inequities across Italian regions in the QMNC around the time of childbirth.

Large gaps in the quality of healthcare experienced by Swedish mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study based on WHO standards

Background and Problem

Existing healthcare systems have been put under immense pressure during the COVID-19 pandemic. Disruptions in essential maternal and newborn services have come from even high-income countries within the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region.

Aim

To describe the quality of care during pregnancy and childbirth, as reported by the women themselves, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden, using the WHO ‘Standards for improving quality of maternal and newborn care in health facilities’.

Methods

Using an anonymous, online questionnaire, women ≥18 years were invited to participate if they had given birth in Sweden from March 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021. The quality of maternal and newborn care was measured using 40 questions across four domains: provision of care, experience of care, availability of human/physical resources, and organisational changes due to COVID-19.

Findings

Of the 5003 women included, n = 4528 experienced labour. Of these, 46.7% perceived a poorer quality of maternal and newborn care due to the COVID-19. Fundal pressure was applied in 22.2% of instrumental vaginal births, 36.8% received inadequate breastfeeding support and 6.9% reported some form of abuse. Findings were worse in women undergoing prelabour Caesarean section (CS) (n = 475). Multivariate analysis showed significant associations of the quality of maternal and newborn care to year of birth (P < 0.001), parity (P < 0.001), no pharmacological pain relief (P < 0.001), prelabour CS (P < 0.001), emergency CS (P < 0.001) and overall satisfaction (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Considerable gaps over many key quality measures and deviations from women-centred care were noted. Findings were worse in women with prelabour CS. Actions to promote high-quality, evidence-based and respectful care during childbirth for all mothers are urgently needed.

Study protocol: establishment of a multicentre pre-eclampsia database and biobank in Sweden: GO PROVE and UP MOST, a prospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Pre-eclampsia, a multisystem disorder in pregnancy, is one of the most common causes of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, we lack methods for objective assessment of organ function in pre-eclampsia and predictors of organ impairment during and after pre-eclampsia. The women's and their partners' experiences of pre-eclampsia have not been studied in detail. To phenotype different subtypes of the disorder is of importance for prediction, prevention, surveillance, treatment and follow-up of pre-eclampsia.The aim of this study is to set up a multicentre database and biobank for pre-eclampsia in order to contribute to a safer and more individualised treatment and care.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This is a multicentre cohort study. Prospectively recruited pregnant women ≥18 years, diagnosed with pre-eclampsia presenting at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Uppsala University Hospital and at Södra Älvsborgs Hospital, Sweden, as well as normotensive controls are eligible for participation. At inclusion and at 1-year follow-up, the participants donate biosamples that are stored in a biobank and they are also asked to participate in various organ-specific evaluations. In addition, questionnaires and interviews regarding the women's and partner's experiences are distributed at follow-up.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

By creating a database and biobank, we will provide the means to explore the disorder in a broader sense and allow clinical and laboratory discoveries that can be translated to clinical trials aiming at improved care of women with pre-eclampsia. Further, to evaluate experiences and the psychological impact of being affected by pre-eclampsia can improve the care of pregnant women and their partners. In case of incidental pathological findings during examinations performed, they will be handled in accordance with clinical routine. Data are stored in a secure online database. Biobank samples are identified through the women's personal identification number and pseudonymised after identification in the biobank before analysis.This study was approved by the regional ethical review board in Gothenburg on 28 December 2018 (approval number 955-18) and by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority on 27 February 2019 (approval number 2019-00309).Results from the study will be published in international peer-reviewed journals.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ISRCTN13060768.

Being in the shadow of the unknown - Swedish women's lived experiences of pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic, a phenomenological study

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on the emotional well-being of expecting mothers. Sweden’s unique strategy for managing COVID-19 involved no national lockdown. Emphasis was instead placed on limiting crowding and asking citizens to practice social distancing measures.

Aim

To gain a deeper understanding of how women not infected by SARS-CoV-2 experienced pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden.

Methods

This was a qualitative study with a reflective lifeworld approach. Fourteen women that had not contracted COVID-19 and who were pregnant during the first and second wave of the pandemic were interviewed. Data were analysed with a phenomenological reflective lifeworld approach.

Findings

The essence of the women’s experiences of being pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic was best described as being in the shadow of the unknown, where the COVID-19 pandemic could at times totally overshadow the experience of being pregnant, while at other times, rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds. The experience was characterised by having to deal with the uncertainties caused by the pandemic and feelings of being in an information echo. Women felt socially isolated and had to face maternal check-ups without the support of their partners. There was, however, a strong trust in maternal health-care services despite the lack of information available.

Conclusion

Being in the shadow of the unknown represents the uncertainties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic on the experience of pregnancy. Sufficient information, a companion of choice and screening for emotional well-being are important factors in maternity care during pandemics.

COVID-19 in Pregnancy and Early Childhood (COPE): study protocol for a prospective, multicentre biobank, survey and database cohort study

INTRODUCTION

There is limited knowledge on how the SARS-CoV-2 affects pregnancy outcomes. Studies investigating the impact of COVID-19 in early pregnancy are scarce and information on long-term follow-up is lacking.The purpose of this project is to study the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy outcomes and long-term maternal and child health by: (1) establishing a database and biobank from pregnant women with COVID-19 and presumably non-infected women and their infants and (2) examining how women and their partners experience pregnancy, childbirth and early parenthood in the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This is a national, multicentre, prospective cohort study involving 27 Swedish maternity units accounting for over 86 000 deliveries/year. Pregnant women are included when they: (1) test positive for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 group) or (2) are non-infected and seek healthcare at one of their routine antenatal visits (screening group). Blood, as well as other biological samples, are collected at different time points during and after pregnancy. Child health up to 4 years of age and parent experience of pregnancy, delivery, early parenthood, healthcare and society in general will be examined using web-based questionnaires based on validated instruments. Short- and long-term health outcomes will be collected from Swedish health registers and the parents' experiences will be studied by performing qualitative interviews.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Confidentiality aspects such as data encryption and storage comply with the General Data Protection Regulation and with ethical committee requirements. This study has been granted national ethical approval by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority (dnr 2020-02189 and amendments 2020-02848, 2020-05016, 2020-06696 and 2021-00870) and national biobank approval by the Biobank Väst (dnr B2000526:970). Results from the project will be published in peer-reviewed journals.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT04433364.

The implementation process of the Confident Birth method in Swedish antenatal education: opportunities, obstacles and recommendations

Antenatal clinics in western Sweden have recently invested in a birth method called Confident Birth. In this study, we investigate midwives’ and first line managers’ perceptions regarding the method, and identify opportunities and obstacles in its implementation. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with ten midwives and five first line managers working in 19 antenatal clinics in western Sweden. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research was used in a directed content analysis approach. Intervention Characteristics—such as perceptions about the Confident Birth method—were found to have equipped the midwives with coping strategies that were useful for expecting parents during birth. Outer Setting—the method was implemented to harmonize the antenatal education, and provided a mean for a birth companionship of choice. Inner setting—included time-consuming preparations and insufficient information at all levels, which affected the implementation. Characteristics of individuals—, such as knowledge and believes in the method, where trust in the method was seen as an opportunity, while long experience of teaching other birth preparatory methods, affected how the Confident Birth method was perceived. Process—such as no strategy for ensuring that the core of the method remained intact or plans for guiding its implementation were major obstacles to successful implementation. The findings speak to the importance of adequate planning, time, information and communication throughout the process to have a successful implementation. Based on lessons learned from this study, we have developed recommendations for successful implementation of interventions, such as the Confident Birth, in antenatal care settings.

A Pre-implementation Study of Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy for Same-day Planning and Treatment of Vertebral Bone Metastases Within a Rapid-access Palliative Radiotherapy Programme

AIMS

We aimed to develop a process for same-day contouring, planning, quality assurance and delivery of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for vertebral bone metastases within our institution's rapid-access palliative radiotherapy programme.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two thoracic (T6-7, T3-7) and two lumbar (L2-3, L1-5) targets were contoured on computed tomography images acquired from an anthropomorphic phantom and five patient scans. Inverse planning aimed to provide coverage of a prescribed dose of 8 Gy with a combined lung V2Gy < 25% and a combined kidney mean dose <2 Gy. Serial plans were created to identify an efficient combination of six main planning variables specific to our treatment planning system: (i) voxel size (3 mm versus 5 mm), (ii) Monte Carlo statistical uncertainty (1% per calculation versus 3% per control point), (iii) fluence smoothing (medium versus high), (iv) number of iterations of segment shape changes during optimisation (1 versus 5), (v) dose calculation algorithm (Monte Carlo versus pencil beam) and (vi) number of arcs (single versus multiple). Contouring, planning, quality assurance and treatment delivery were timed.

RESULTS

The combination of planning variables deemed efficient and appropriate was: a 3 mm voxel size, statistical uncertainty of 1% per calculation, medium fluence smoothing, five iterations of segment shape changes, Monte Carlo dose calculation and single full arc delivery. Patient scan contouring times ranged from 7 to 9 min (T6-7), 11-13 min (T3-7), 5-7 min (L2-3) and 8-10 min (L1-5) and planning times ranged from 9 to 15 min (T6-7), 13-25 min (T3-7), 18-25 min (L2-3) and 21-31 min (L1-5). Physics quality assurance times ranged from 15 to 21 min and beam-on times ranged from 3 to 6 min.

CONCLUSIONS

The combined elements of VMAT for thoracic and lumbar vertebral bone metastases were completed in under 2 h. This new process makes same-day contouring, planning, quality assurance and treatment delivery of VMAT feasible within our rapid-access palliative radiotherapy programme.

Pregnant under the pressure of a pandemic: a large-scale longitudinal survey before and during the COVID-19 outbreak

BACKGROUND

One of the groups that is most vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic is pregnant women. They cannot choose to refrain from care; they and their children are at risk of severe complications related to the virus; and they lose comfort and support as clinics prohibit their partners and as societal restrictions demand isolation from friends and relatives. It is urgent to study how this group is faring during the pandemic and we focus here on their health-related worries.

METHODS

A longitudinal survey at a Swedish hospital starting 6 months before (16 September 2019) and continuing during the COVID-19 outbreak (until 25 August 2020). A total of 6941 pregnant women and partners of diverse social backgrounds were recruited. Ninety-six percent of birth-giving women in the city take early ultrasounds where recruitment took place. Sixty-two percent of the women with an appointment and fifty-one percent of all partners gave consent to participate.

RESULTS

Pregnant women experienced dramatically increased worries for their own health, as well as for their partner's and their child's health in the beginning of the pandemic. The worries remained at higher than usual levels throughout the pandemic. Similar, but less dramatic changes were seen among partners.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a need for heightened awareness of pregnant women's and partners' health-related worries as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Related feelings, such as anxiety, have been linked to adverse pregnancy outcome and might have long-term effects. The healthcare system needs to prepare for follow-up visits with these families.

Impact of the Helping Mothers Survive Bleeding After Birth learning programme on care provider skills and maternal health outcomes in low-income countries - An integrative review

BACKGROUND

To improve maternal health outcomes, highly competent healthcare providers are needed. One strategy used to improve performance among healthcare providers is simulation-based learning. An integrative review was designed with the aim of synthesising available research on Helping Mothers Survive (HMS), a learning programme used in low-income countries, and its impact on care provider skills and maternal health outcomes.

METHOD

A systematic search was conducted in June 2020 in CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. All stages of inclusion, quality assessment, and data extraction were done independently by four reviewers. A narrative synthesis was used for the outcomes of care provider skills and knowledge, as well as maternal health outcomes.

FINDINGS

The search identified 50 articles, 22 of which were excluded due to being duplicates, 16 based on their title and abstract, and two based on their full text. Eleven papers were included in the synthesis: eight quantitative, two qualitative, and one mixed-method study, originating from India, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zanzibar. The Helping Mothers Survive-Bleeding After Birth (HMS-BAB) learning programme was found to have a positive impact on care providers' competencies and maternal health outcomes, with a reduced number of postpartum haemorrhages and a reduction in maternal mortality.

CONCLUSION

The HMS-BAB learning programme has the potential to increase competence among care providers and improve maternal health outcomes in low-income settings. A successful use of the programme to maintain improved care routines for mothers requires multi-professional teams, facility readiness, a low-dose high-frequency approach, a local coordinator, and accountability and ownership.

Time to Diagnosis and Treatment with Palliative Radiotherapy among Inuit Patients with Cancer from the Arctic Territory of Nunavut, Canada

AIMS

The cancer burden among Circumpolar Inuit is high. Palliative radiotherapy is a mainstay treatment for controlling symptoms of advanced cancers, but Inuit are required to travel far distances to access this service. Access to palliative radiotherapy and time away from home communities have not been explored among this population. We sought to describe the time intervals from symptom onset to the start of palliative radiotherapy among Canadian Inuit patients treated at The Ottawa Hospital (TOH).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective review of Inuit patients from Nunavut treated with radiotherapy between 2005 and 2014 at TOH.

RESULTS

Of a total of 152 radiotherapy patients, 88 (58%) were treated palliatively. Of these, 61 (70%) had stage IV disease at diagnosis and 63 (72%) had lung cancer. The median time from referral for specialist care to the patient's first flight to Ottawa was 4 days (range 0-97). The median length of treatment was 7 days (range 0-27), but patients spent a median of 64.5 days (range 14-633) in Ottawa. The median survival from the date of pathological diagnosis was 5.2 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Most Inuit radiotherapy patients at TOH were treated palliatively. Patients were brought from Nunavut relatively quickly for specialist care, which is encouraging. However, patients spent over 2 months away from home, in the context of a median survival of less than 6 months. Opportunities for improvement include both provider and system-level changes, which may be applicable to other Circumpolar Inuit regions across Europe and North America.

Web-Based Intervention for Women With Type 1 Diabetes in Pregnancy and Early Motherhood: Critical Analysis of Adherence to Technological Elements and Study Design

Background

Numerous Web-based interventions have been implemented to promote health and health-related behaviors in persons with chronic conditions. Using randomized controlled trials to evaluate such interventions creates a range of challenges, which in turn can influence the study outcome. Applying a critical perspective when evaluating Web-based health interventions is important.

Objective

The objective of this study was to critically analyze and discuss the challenges of conducting a Web-based health intervention as a randomized controlled trial.

Method

The MODIAB-Web study was critically examined using an exploratory case study methodology and the framework for analysis offered through the Persuasive Systems Design model. Focus was on technology, study design, and Web-based support usage, with special focus on the forum for peer support. Descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis were used.

Results

The persuasive content and technological elements in the design of the randomized controlled trial included all four categories of the Persuasive Systems Design model, but not all design principles were implemented. The study duration was extended to a period of four and a half years. Of 81 active participants in the intervention group, a maximum of 36 women were simultaneously active. User adherence varied greatly with a median of 91 individual log-ins. The forum for peer support was used by 63 participants. Although only about one-third of the participants interacted in the forum, there was a fairly rich exchange of experiences and advice between them. Thus, adherence in terms of social interactions was negatively affected by limited active participation due to prolonged recruitment process and randomization effects. Lessons learned from this critical analysis are that technology and study design matter and might mutually influence each other. In Web-based interventions, the use of design theories enables utilization of the full potential of technology and promotes adherence. The randomization element in a randomized controlled trial design can become a barrier to achieving a critical mass of user interactions in Web-based interventions, especially when social support is included. For extended study periods, the technology used may need to be adapted in line with newly available technical options to avoid the risk of becoming outdated in the user realm, which in turn might jeopardize study validity in terms of randomized controlled trial designs.

Conclusions

On the basis of lessons learned in this randomized controlled trial, we give recommendations to consider when designing and evaluating Web-based health interventions.

Person-centred, web-based support in pregnancy and early motherhood for women with Type 1 diabetes mellitus: a randomized controlled trial

AIMS

To report results from and explore use of a multicentre, parallel-group, unblinded, randomized controlled trial testing the effectiveness in terms of well-being and diabetes management of a person-centred, web-based support programme for women with Type 1 diabetes, in pregnancy and postpartum.

METHODS

Between 2011 and 2014, 174 pregnant women with Type 1 diabetes were randomly allocated (1:1) to web-based support and standard care (intervention group, n=83), or standard care (control group, n=91). The web-based support consisted of evidence-based information; a self-care diary for monitoring of daily activities; and peer support in a discussion forum. The primary outcomes (mean difference, measured at 6 months after childbirth) were well-being and diabetes management.

RESULTS

No differences were found with regard to the primary outcome measure scores for general well-being [1.04 (95% CI -1.28 to 3.37); P=0.68] and self-efficacy of diabetes management [0.08 (95% CI -0.12 to 0.28); P= 0.75], after adjustment for baseline differences in the insulin administration method, nor with regard to the secondary outcome measures.

CONCLUSIONS

At 6 months after childbirth, the web-based support plus standard care was not superior to standard care in terms of general well-being or self-efficacy of diabetes management. This might be explained by the low number of participants who had a high activity level. Few simultaneously active participants in the web-based programme and stressors in motherhood and diabetes postpartum were the main barriers to its use. Further intervention studies that offer web-based support are needed, with lessons learned from the present study. (Clinicaltrials.gov identification number: NCT015665824).

Finnish Dentists Find Smoking Cessation Important but Seldom Offer Practical Support for Their Patients

OBJECTIVES

To investigate Finnish dentists' smoking cessation related attitudes, consultation practices and familiarity with the local treatment guideline on smoking cessation.

BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN

An online questionnaire was sent to 1740 dentists, which corresponds to 39% of dentists in Finland. A total of 456 dentists responded (response rate 26%), of whom 435 (95%) were clinicians. The dentists' smoking cessation practices were also compared to ones reported in a previous study in Finnish physicians.

RESULTS

Dentists found smoking cessation important and often discussed and recommended quitting to the patients, but concrete withdrawal actions were seldom provided. The local treatment guideline on smoking cessation was actively utilized by 36% of the dentists. Adherence to the guideline was associated with higher rates of smoking cessation activities and success in them. Smoking cessation activity among dentists was significantly lower than in Finnish physicians. In accordance with the literature, among dentists, the most common barriers for smoking cessation were lack of time (44%) and education (42%).

CONCLUSION

Although smoking cessation is discussed with patients, dentists are less active in taking concrete actions to support the patient on withdrawal. Adherence to the local treatment guideline was associated with better capabilities in dealing with tobacco withdrawal and a more active role in smoking cessation. The results suggest that more education on the local smoking cessation treatment guideline and cessation intervention is needed in order to overcome the remaining barriers to promoting effective smoking cessation in dental practice.

Well-Being and Diabetes Management in Early Pregnant Women with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

This paper explores well-being and diabetes management in women with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) in early pregnancy and investigates associations among perceived well-being, diabetes management, and maternal characteristics. Questionnaires were answered by 168 Swedish women. Correlation analyses were conducted with Spearman's correlation coefficient (rs). The women reported relatively high scores of self-efficacy in diabetes management (SWE-DES-10: 3.91 (0.51)) and self-perceived health (excellent (6.5%), very good (42.3%), good (38.7%), fair (11.3%) and poor (1.2%)). Moderate scores were reported for general well-being (WBQ-12: 22.6 (5.7)) and sense of coherence (SOC-13: 68.9 (9.7), moderate/low scores for hypoglycemia fear (SWE-HFS 26.6 (11.8)) and low scores of diabetes-distress (SWE-PAID-20 27.1 (15.9)). A higher capability of self-efficacy in diabetes management showed positive correlations with self-perceived health (rs = -0.41, p < 0.0001) and well-being (rs = 0.34, p < 0.0001) as well as negative correlations with diabetes distress (rs = -0.51, p < 0.0001) and hypoglycemia worries (rs = -0.27, p = 0.0009). Women with HbA1c levels of ≤48 mmL/mol scored higher in the subscales "goal achievement" in SWE-DES (p = 0.0028) and "comprehensibility" in SOC (p = 0.016). Well-being and diabetes management could be supported by strengthening the women's capability to achieve glycemic goals and their comprehensibility in relation to the treatment. Further studies are needed to test this.