gms | German Medical Science

Background: The closure of maternity units, resulting in increased workloads and consistently high birth rates make the professional situation of clinical and freelanced midwives in Germany challenging. Consequently, there is an increasing professional and health policy interest in identifying factors that can lead to midwives retaining their profession in order to ensure future midwifery care. International studies show a positive correlation between continuity models of care and/or self-employment and well-being as well as a job retention [1], [2], [3]. It is not known how midwives in Germany assess their well-being and whether negative effects on their well-being can impact the number of practicing midwives or whether midwives reduce the service they offer or workload.

Aim/Research Question: The initial aim of this study is to present the parameters “subjective health assessment” and “burnout” of practicing midwives in Germany. Further analysis examines whether there is a correlation between the health parameters mentioned and the models of care in which the midwives interviewed are practicing.

Methods: Data was collected between February and June 2018 as part of the research project HebAB.NRW – Midwifery Care in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). In a quantitative cross-sectional study, all identifiable midwives living and/or working in NRW were surveyed by questionnaire (online or written) on aspects of their professional activities and socio-demographic data. The questionnaire also includes validated tools for measuring well-being in terms of Short-Form Health Survey (SF-1) [4] and Burnout [5]. The project is funded by Landeszentrum Gesundheit Nordrhein-Westfalen (LZG.NRW) (funding code LZG TG 72 001/2016).

Results: 1715 questionnaires from practicing midwives were included in the evaluation. Of these, 38.8% work exclusively freelanced, 35.6% are employed and freelanced and 24.4% are exclusively employed. 1.6% work exclusively as family health midwives. Of the freelanced midwives, 20.4% (n=260) offer birth attendance. Further, occupational characteristics as well as the health-related data of the four sub-groups are still being evaluated and will be presented in the presentation.

Relevance: This study examines for the first time the relationship between models of care or work organization and the well-being of midwives in Germany. The study contributes to the presentation of the health situation of working midwives. The results provide indications models of care, which can be beneficial for the health of midwives.

Recommendations/Conclusions: The well-being/health of midwives is essential in order to maintain their work force. The research project provides indications of the relationship between occupational characteristics and the well-being of midwives, which can be used to develop new, health-promoting care concepts.

Ethics and conflicts of interest: A vote on ethics was obtained. The research was supported by external funding. There are no conflicts of interest.