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Fear, Blame And Transparency: Obstetric caregivers' rationales for high caesarean section rates in a low-resource setting
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Women's and Children's Health, International Maternal and Child Health (IMCH).
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Women's and Children's Health, International Maternal and Child Health (IMCH).
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Women's and Children's Health, International Maternal and Child Health (IMCH).
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Women's and Children's Health, International Maternal and Child Health (IMCH).
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2015 (English)In: Social Science and Medicine, ISSN 0277-9536, E-ISSN 1873-5347, Vol. 143, p. 232-240Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

In recent decades, there has been growing attention to the overuse of caesarean section (CS) globally. In light of a high CS rate at a university hospital in Tanzania, we aimed to explore obstetric caregivers' rationales for their hospital's CS rate to identify factors that might cause CS overuse. After participant observations, we performed 22 semi-structured individual in-depth interviews and 2 focus group discussions with 5-6 caregivers in each. Respondents were consultants, specialists, residents, and midwives. The study relied on a framework of naturalistic inquiry and we analyzed data using thematic analysis. As a conceptual framework, we situated our findings in the discussion of how transparency and auditing can induce behavioral change and have unintended effects. Caregivers had divergent opinions on whether the hospital's CS rate was a problem or not, but most thought that there was an overuse of CS. All caregivers rationalized the high CS rate by referring to circumstances outside their control. In private practice, some stated they were affected by the economic compensation for CS, while others argued that unnecessary CSs were due to maternal demand. Residents often missed support from their senior colleagues when making decisions, and felt that midwives pushed them to perform CSs. Many caregivers stated that their fear of blame from colleagues and management in case of poor outcomes made them advocate for, or perform, CSs on doubtful indications. In order to lower CS rates, caregivers must acknowledge their roles as decision-makers, and strive to minimize unnecessary CSs. Although auditing and transparency are important to improve patient safety, they must be used with sensitivity regarding any unintended or counterproductive effects they might have.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2015. Vol. 143, p. 232-240
Keywords [en]
Tanzania; Caesarean section; Low-resource setting; Attitudes; Caregivers; Transparency
National Category
Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-238477DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.09.003ISI: 000364245600027PubMedID: 26364010OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-238477DiVA, id: diva2:771596
Funder
Swedish Research CouncilAvailable from: 2014-12-15 Created: 2014-12-12 Last updated: 2017-12-05Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. 'What about the Mother?': Rising Caesarean Section Rates and their Association with Maternal Near-Miss Morbidity and Death in a Low-Resource Setting
Open this publication in new window or tab >>'What about the Mother?': Rising Caesarean Section Rates and their Association with Maternal Near-Miss Morbidity and Death in a Low-Resource Setting
2015 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

In recent decades, there has been a seemingly inexhaustible rise in the use of caesarean section (CS) worldwide. The overall aim with this thesis is to explore the effects of and reasons for an increase in the CS rate at a university hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

In Study I, we analysed time trends in CS rates and maternal and perinatal outcomes between 2000 and 2011 among different obstetric groups. In Study II, we documented the occurrence and panorama of maternal ‘near-miss’ morbidity and death, and analysed their association with CS complications. We also strived to determine if women with previous CS scars had an increased risk of maternal near-miss, death, or adverse perinatal outcomes in subsequent pregnancies. Studies III and IV explored women’s and caregivers’ in-depth perspectives on CS and caregivers’ rationales for their hospital’s high CS rate.

During the study period, the CS rate increased from 19% to 49%. The rise was accompanied by an increased maternal mortality ratio (odds ratio [OR] 1.5, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.2–1.8) and improved perinatal outcomes. CS complications accounted for 7.9% (95% CI 5.6–11) of the maternal near-miss events and 13% (95% CI 6.4–23) of the maternal deaths. Multipara with previous CS scars had no increased risk of maternal near-miss or death compared with multipara with previous vaginal deliveries, and a lower risk of adverse perinatal outcomes (adjusted OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.33–0.80). Both women and caregivers stated they preferred vaginal birth, but caregivers also had a favourable attitude towards CS. Both groups justified maternal risks with CS by the need to ‘secure’ a healthy baby. Caregivers stated that they sometimes performed CSs on doubtful indications, partly due to dysfunctional team-work and a fear of being blamed by colleagues. 

This thesis raises a concern that maternal health, interests, and voices are overlooked through the CS decision for the benefit of perinatal outcomes and caregivers’ liability. An overuse of CS should be seen as a sign of substandard care and preventing such overuse needs to be among the key actions when formulating new targets for the post-2015 era.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Uppsala: Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis, 2015. p. 114
Series
Digital Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Medicine, ISSN 1651-6206 ; 1063
Keywords
caesarean section, complications, attitudes, women, caregivers, low-income countries, Tanzania
National Category
Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine
Research subject
Medical Science
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-238626 (URN)978-91-554-9134-5 (ISBN)
Public defence
2015-02-19, Rosénsalen, Kvinnokliniken, Ing. 95/96, Akademiska sjukhuset, Uppsala, 13:15 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2015-01-29 Created: 2014-12-15 Last updated: 2015-03-09
2. Improving the quality of caesarean section in a low-resource setting: An intervention by criteria-based audit at a tertiary hospital, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Improving the quality of caesarean section in a low-resource setting: An intervention by criteria-based audit at a tertiary hospital, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
2017 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

A sharp increase in caesarean section (CS) rates at the Muhimbili National Referral Hospital (MNH) – a tertiary referral hospital in Tanzania – by 50% in 2000–2011, was associated with concomitant increase in maternal complications and deaths and inconsistent improvement in newborn outcomes. The aims of this thesis were to explore care providers’ in-depth perspective of the reasons for these high rates of CS, and to evaluate and improve standards of care for the most common indica-tions of CS, obstructed labour and fetal distress, which are also major causes of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.

This thesis reports an investigation performed at MNH, Tanzania. For Paper I, qualitative methods were employed and demonstrated how care providers dismissed their responsibility for the rising CS rate; and, instead, projected the causes onto factors beyond their control. Additionally, dysfunctinal teamwork, transparency, and previous poorly conducted clinical audits led to fear of blame among care providers in cases of poor outcome that subsequently encougared defensive practise by assigning unnecessary CS. Papers II and III evaluated stand-ards of care using a criteria-based audit (CBA) of obstructed labour and fetal dis-tress. After implementing audit-feedback recommendations, the standards of diag-nosis of fetal distress improved by 16% and obstructed labour by 7%. Similarly, the standards of management preceding CS improved tenfold for fetal distress and doubled for obstructed labour. The impact of the CBA process was evaluated by comparing the maternal and perinatal outcomes categorized into Robson groups (Paper IV) of all deliveries occurring before and after the audit process (n=27,960). After the CBA process, there was a 50% risk reduction of severe perinatal morbidi-ty/mortality for patients with obstructed labour. The overall CS rates increased by 10%, and this was attributed to an increase in the CS rate among breech, term preg-nancies (Robson group 6), and preterm pregnancies (Robson group 10) that specifi-cally had reduced risk of poor perinatal outcome. The overall neonatal distress rates were also reduced by 20%, and this was attributed to a decrease in the neonatal distress rate among low-risk, term pregnancies (Robson group 3). Importantly, the increased rates of poor perinatal outcomes were associated with referred patients that had higher risk of neonatal distress and PMR than non–referred patients, after CBA process. 

In conclusion, the studies managed to educate the care providers to take on their roles as decision-makers and medical experts to minimize unnecessary CS, using the available resources. Care providers’ commitment to achieve the best practice should be sustained and effort for stepwise upgrading quality of obstetric care should be supported by the hospital management from the primary to tertiary referral level.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis, 2017. p. 91
Series
Digital Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Medicine, ISSN 1651-6206 ; 1325
Keywords
Caesarean section, Criteria-based audit, Fetal distress, Obstructed labour, Low resource setting, Robson classification
National Category
Medical and Health Sciences
Research subject
Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-319192 (URN)978-91-554-9890-0 (ISBN)
Public defence
2017-05-20, Rosénsalen, Akademiska sjukhuset, entrance 95/96, Uppsala, 10:15 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2017-04-28 Created: 2017-03-31 Last updated: 2017-05-05

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