Addressing Provider Stress and Unconscious Bias to Improve Quality of Maternal Health Care
Overview
- Phase
- N/A
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Maternal Health
- Sponsor
- University of California, San Francisco
- Enrollment
- 83
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Change in Stress Knowledge and Attitudes Score From Baseline to 6 Months
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 12 months ago
Overview
Brief Summary
The activities described in this proposal are aimed at addressing health care provider stress and unconscious bias to improve quality of maternal health care, particularly related to the person-centered dimensions of care-i.e. care that is respectful and responsive to women's needs, preferences, and values. The investigators focus on health provider stress and unconscious bias because they are key drivers of poor-quality care that are often not addressed in interventions designed to improve quality of maternal health care. The investigators plan to (1) design an intervention that enables providers to identify and manage their stress and unconscious bias; (2) pilot the intervention to assess its feasibility and acceptability; and (3) assess preliminary effect of the intervention on: (a) provider knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to stress and unconscious bias; and (b) provider stress levels.
Detailed Description
Poor person-centered maternal health care (PCMHC) contributes to high maternal and neonatal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and disparities in PCMHC are driving disparities in use of maternal health services., However, little research exists on how to improve PCMHC and reduce disparities. The investigators seek to fill this gap with this project. They propose targeting health provider stress and unconscious bias as fundamental factors driving both poor PCMHC and disparities in PCMHC. Health care provider stress and unconscious bias are important to consider because: (1) providers in low-resource settings often work under very stressful conditions; (2) unconscious bias is prevalent in every society including SSA; and (3) these factors are mutually reinforcing drivers of poor quality care and disparities in person-centered care. In the first phase of the project (CPIPE1), they conducted research to examine (1) the factors associated with PCMHC and identified provider stress and unconscious bias as key contributing factors. They also examined the levels of provider stress and unconscious bias and the types of stressors and biases in Migori County, Kenya. The results of that research will be used to inform this phase (CPIPE2), the aims of which are to: (1) design a multicomponent theory and evidence-based intervention that enables providers to identify and manage their stress and unconscious bias; (2) pilot the intervention to assess its feasibility and acceptability; and (3) assess preliminary effect of the intervention on: (a) provider knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to stress and unconscious bias; and (b) provider stress levels using a pretest-posttest control group design. They will use the results of the pilot to refine the intervention and develop an R01 proposal for a multi-site evaluation with a larger sample and longer follow up to assess impact on PCMHC. This study will yield valuable information to inform quality improvement efforts for PCMHC.
Investigators
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Providers working in maternity units of the intervention facilities are all eligible.
Exclusion Criteria
- •Inability to attend scheduled training.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Change in Stress Knowledge and Attitudes Score From Baseline to 6 Months
Time Frame: Baseline and 6 months
The stress knowledge and attitudes score is measured by 14 survey questions with scores ranging from 0 to 14. Higher scores indicate higher knowledge and positive attitudes regarding stress and stress management. We used 13 of the items from the 14-item survey scale. The score range used is 0 to 13- as noted in the limitations section.
Change in Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) Score From Baseline to 6 Months
Time Frame: Baseline and 6 months
The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) score ranges from 0 to 40 with higher scores indicating higher perceived stress.
Change in Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure (SMBM) Score From Baseline to 6 Months
Time Frame: Baseline and 6 months
The Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure range from 1 to 7 with higher scores indicating higher burnout
Change in Unconscious Bias Knowledge and Attitudes Score From Baseline to 6 Months
Time Frame: Baseline and 6 months
The unconscious bias knowledge and attitudes score is measured by 17 survey questions with scores ranging from 0 to 17. Higher scores indicate higher knowledge and positive attitudes regarding unconscious bias and unconscious bias mitigation
Secondary Outcomes
- Change in Explicit Bias Scores From Baseline to 6 Months(Baseline and 6 months)
- Change in Hair Cortisol Levels From Baseline to 6 Months(Baseline and 6 months)
- Change in Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Levels From Baseline to 6 Months(Baseline and 6 months)
- Change in Socioeconomic Status-person Centered Maternity Care Implicit Association Test (IAT) Score(Baseline and 6 months)