Mechanisms of Improvement
The development of an intervention to support midwives in addressing health behaviours with pregnant women – PhD Study
What we know
Midwives are required to carry out multiple tasks aimed at enhancing the health of pregnant women (their health promotion practice). The aim of this PhD was to develop an intervention to support midwives in ensuring they are:
- Carrying out all the health promotion tasks they are asked to.
- Performing these tasks in a way that is meaningful to them and helpful to the woman.
What this research explored
The development of the intervention involved:
- Reviewing relevant existing evidence about midwives health promotion practice.
- Gathering new evidence about midwives views and beliefs concerning their health promotion practice.
- Selecting appropriate theory, behaviour change techniques and format of delivery.
What this study adds
- An evaluation of the acceptability of the intervention has been undertaken.
- The identification of barriers and facilitators to performing health promotion practice behaviours, by midwives.
- Paper Investigating midwives’ barriers and facilitators to multiple health promotion practice behaviours: a qualitative study using the theoretical domains framework published in Implementation Science (2019).
Benefits and impact
The resulting intervention is a handheld toolkit designed to support midwives during antenatal consultations; which helps to address the urgent need for interventions to support midwives to help pregnant women address their health behaviours.
Collaborators
The project was led by Dr Julie McLellan, supported by colleagues from the University of Stirling and the University of New Brunswick; in conjunction with midwifery colleagues from across NHS Scotland and the Royal College of Midwives.
For more information please contact SISCC (siscc@dundee.ac.uk)
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