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As an aspiring healthcare professional, I found VanGompel and colleagues' mixed methods study to shed light on important maternal and infant health issues. In 2020, just three states—Idaho, Utah, and South Dakota—had overall cesarean delivery rates in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s lowest category (22.9-25.96%).1 Labor Culture Survey respondents, in your study, included nurses, obstetricians, certified nurse midwives, family physicians, anesthesiologists, nurse educators, and nurse managers from California. Given that California is one of the nation’s most populated and diverse states, does your research team believe that similar findings would emerge across other geographical regions of the United States?
I was intrigued by the qualitative data collection arm (i.e., key informant interviews) of your study. Key informants (n=12) included a total of 5 physicians and 7 registered nurses with leadership roles at their respective hospitals in both urban and rural settings. In reviewing your findings, it crossed my mind that other healthcare professionals (e.g., midwives) may provide different perspectives regarding cesarean deliveries. Given that much work remains in this area, does your research team have plans to expand your qualitative data collection to include other healthcare team members? Additionally, including patients in future studies would provide rich information and unique perspectives on this increasingly important population health issue.
Reference
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cesarean delivery rate by state. Published Accessed April 9, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/cesarean_births/cesareans.htm