Article
Factors associated with midwives’ capacities to provide emotionally responsive care during labour and birth
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Published: | February 13, 2018 |
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Published with erratum: | April 25, 2018 |
Outline
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Background: Emotionally responsive care is an important element of women’s relationship with their midwife and affects how women experience birth [1], [2]. A positive birth experience is associated with increased perinatal mental health [3].
Research question/aim: Little is known about factors that influence midwives’ capacity to provide emotional responsive care. Members of the Australian midwifery workforce were surveyed to investigate factors that promote or hinder emotionally responsive caregiving
Method: Midwives who were members of the Australian College of Midwives were invited to participate in an online survey between March and June 2014. Self-reported emotional responsiveness was assessed using a study-specific instrument and demographic, professional and workplace information was collected. Associations between responsiveness in caregiving and influencing factors were analysed using linear multiple regression analyses.
Results: 705 midwives completed the survey. The possible range of Emotional Responsiveness in Perinatal Care (ERPC) scale scores was 8 to 40. The mean ERPC score was 33.00 (SD = 3.97, range = 8-40; 95% CI 32.70, 33.27). The regression model was significant (p= .001) but explained only 6% of variability in emotional responsiveness among midwives. Hours worked per week, number of births attended per month, primary place of midwifery practice, personal distress and highest level of qualification showed no association with emotional responsiveness. Age was significantly (p<.001) positively associated with emotional responsiveness.
Relevance: Many midwives report providing emotionally responsive care during labour and birth. The results suggest that personal maturity may affect midwives’ capacity for emotional responsiveness. However, the limited predictive utility of the model indicates a need to consider additional variables affecting midwives’ capacity to provide responsive emotional responsive care. The model of care in may also influence how emotionally responsive midwives can be when providing care during labour and birth.
Recommendations/conclusions: More research is needed to understand factors that promote emotional responsive caregiving by midwives.
Ethical criteria and conflict of interests: The research was submitted to an ethics committee. The work was financed by third party funds from Griffith Postgraduate Scholarship. There is no conflict of interest.
The PDF file of the poster submitted for the meeting is available in English as Attachment 1 [Attach. 1].
References
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