1
|
Alkawaldeh M, Alkhawaldeh A, Yeboah T. Exploring patients' experiences with telehealth in obstetrics care during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292799. [PMID: 38117846 PMCID: PMC10732431 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM The aim of this study was to evaluate patients' experiences with telehealth provision of obstetrics and gynecology care during the COVID-19 pandemic qualitatively. DESIGN AND SETTING In this study, a qualitative research design, namely descriptive phenomenology, was employed. Participants were recruited from the OB department at UMass Memorial Medical center in Worcester, MA, between 6/2020 and 7/2020. METHODS Between June 2020 and July 2020, in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 women receiving care at the Obstetrics and Maternal and Fetal Medicine clinics. Data were analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis, as outlined by Braun and Clarke. RESULTS Telehealth is a feasible and safe health-care tool that is available during these unprecedented times. This study provided qualitative evidence based on patients' perspectives and experiences. Participants' meanings in relation to their experiences of using telehealth services emerged from the data in four themes: the overall experience of using modern telehealth platforms, telehealth and its perceived benefits, telehealth and its perceived challenges, and telehealth and its potential future use. CONCLUSION While this study highlights areas in telehealth implementation that require improvement, the overall positive experiences and consistent perceived benefits of most participants suggests that telehealth can be an important tool in healthcare delivery for appropriate patients and situations moving forward in a post-pandemic world. IMPACT During the global pandemic, telehealth has been recognized to have the potential to play a critical role in healthcare delivery. Establishing qualitative evidence-based practices in the emerging field of telehealth for OB services is pivotal to mitigate potential safety, feasibility, and cost issues that could be associated with the rapid adoption of telehealth. Yet, this qualitative study However highlighted several challenges that are necessary to be addressed in order for telehealth to meet maximum effectiveness and functionality in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Asma Alkhawaldeh
- Research Specialist, Jordanian Royal Medical Services, Amman, Jordan
| | - Tracy Yeboah
- Department of OBGYN, Research Coordinator, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Leftwich HK, Vargas-Robles D, Rojas-Correa M, Yap YR, Bhattarai S, Ward DV, Fujimori G, Forconi CS, Yeboah T, Carter A, Kastrinakis A, Asirwatham AM, Bucci V, Moormann AM, Maldonado-Contreras A. The microbiota of pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 and their infants. Microbiome 2023; 11:141. [PMID: 37365606 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-023-01577-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infants receive their first bacteria from their birthing parent. This newly acquired microbiome plays a pivotal role in developing a robust immune system, the cornerstone of long-term health. RESULTS We demonstrated that the gut, vaginal, and oral microbial diversity of pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection is reduced, and women with early infections exhibit a different vaginal microbiota composition at the time of delivery compared to their healthy control counterparts. Accordingly, a low relative abundance of two Streptococcus sequence variants (SV) was predictive of infants born to pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that SARS-CoV-2 infections during pregnancy, particularly early infections, are associated with lasting changes in the microbiome of pregnant women, compromising the initial microbial seed of their infant. Our results highlight the importance of further exploring the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the infant's microbiome-dependent immune programming. Video Abstract.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heidi K Leftwich
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of Massachusetts Memorial Health, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Daniela Vargas-Robles
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, Program of Microbiome Dynamics, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Mayra Rojas-Correa
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, Program of Microbiome Dynamics, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Yan Rou Yap
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, Program of Microbiome Dynamics, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Shakti Bhattarai
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, Program of Microbiome Dynamics, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Doyle V Ward
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, Program of Microbiome Dynamics, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Gavin Fujimori
- Department of Medicine. Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Catherine S Forconi
- Department of Medicine. Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Tracy Yeboah
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of Massachusetts Memorial Health, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Acara Carter
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of Massachusetts Memorial Health, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Alyssa Kastrinakis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of Massachusetts Memorial Health, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Alison M Asirwatham
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of Massachusetts Memorial Health, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Vanni Bucci
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, Program of Microbiome Dynamics, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Ann M Moormann
- Department of Medicine. Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Ana Maldonado-Contreras
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, Program of Microbiome Dynamics, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Brewer K, Leung K, Forest C, Gupta A, Kliskey E, Yeboah T, Heelan-Fancher L, Dumont T. Racial disparities in birth satisfaction among nulliparous women. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.11.611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
|
6
|
Abstract
In Ghana many rural illiterate people practise traditional medicine and spread their knowledge through oral communication among themselves. This paper observes that traditional health information which freely circulates, and is actively disseminated by healers in rural communities greatly contributes to the knowledge for preparing home remedies and other traditional interventions. Oral communication can give rise to inaccurate and even dangerous information where charlatans can penetrate and operate within the health system. The Danfa project, which involved verbal teaching of modern health techniques to illiterate herbalists, and educating villagers about improved traditional medical practices, is described as a success story of information provision for illiterates. The experience is applied to propose the modification of some training programmes under the Ministry of Health to produce traditional health care information providers. Repackaged information and the public media are recommended as the most effective method of transferring knowledge to those unable to read.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- T Yeboah
- Medical and Health Sciences Librarian, University of Namibia, Private Bag 13301, 240 Mandume Ndemufayo Avenue, Windhoek, Namibia.
| |
Collapse
|