​Access to Midwifery Care in Ontario and Socioeconomic Status

Summary 

​This multiple methods study examined the relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and access to midwifery care services in Ontario. We used quantitative methods to examine the SES of people who access midwifery services and explore if this changed over time, how the SES of midwifery clients compared to the SES of people whose births were attended by physicians, and any regional variations in access to midwifery services based on socio-economic status. We also used qualitative methods to explore the barriers and facilitators to midwifery care for people of low SES and the work that midwives do to mitigate barriers to midwifery care.

Project Status:

Completed 

Publications

  1. Darling EK, Kjell C, Tubman-Broeren M, Marquez O. The effect of prenatal care delivery models, programs, and interventions targeting populations with low rates of PNC attendance: a systematic review. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. 2021; 32(1):119-136.  doi: 10.1353/hpu.2021.0012.
  2. Darling EK, Murray-Davis B, Ahmed RJ, Vanstone M. Access to Ontario Midwifery Care by Neighbourhood-Level Material Deprivation Quintile, 2006–2017: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Canadian Journal of Midwifery Research and Practice. 2020;19(2):8-23. Retrieved from https://www.cjmrp.com/downloads/access-to-ontario-midwifery-care-by-neighbourhood-level-material-deprivation-quintile-2006-2017-a-retrospective-cohort-study.pdf www.cjmrp.com/downloads/access-to-ontario-midwifery-care-by-neighbourhood-level-material-deprivation-quintile-2006-2017-a-retrospective-cohort-study.pdf
  3. Nussey L, MacDonald T, Murray-Davis B, Vanstone M, Darling EK. Community as client: A qualitative descriptive study of the work of midwives to increase access to midwifery care. Canadian Journal of Midwifery Research and Practice. 2020;19(2):24-39. 
  4. Darling EK, MacDonald T, Nussey L, Murray-Davis B, Vanstone M. Making midwifery services accessible to people of low SES: A qualitative descriptive study of the barriers faced by midwives in Ontario. Canadian Journal of Midwifery Research and Practice. 2020;19(2):40-52. 
  5. Darling EK, Grenier L, Nussey L, Murray-Davis B, Hutton E, Vanstone M. Barriers and facilitators of access to midwifery care in Ontario for people of low socioeconomic status: Findings of a qualitative investigation. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 2019; 19:416. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-019-2577-z

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Photo used under Creative Commons from César Rincón