Women's Perceptions of Communication in Pregnancy and Childbirth: Influences on Participation and Satisfaction With Care

Abstract

In this study, 3,531 Queensland women, who had recently given birth, completed a questionnaire that included questions about their participation in decision making during pregnancy, their ratings of client-centered care, and perceived quality of care. These data tested a version of the Linguistic Model of Patient Participation in Care, adapted to the maternity context. The authors investigated how age and education influenced women's perceptions of their participation and quality of care. Hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that women's perceived ability to make decisions, and the extent of client-centered communication with maternity care providers, were the most influential predictors of participation and perceived quality of care. Participation in care predicted perceived quality of care, but the influence of client-centered communication by a care provider and a woman's confidence in decision making were stronger predictors of perceived quality of care. Age and education level were not important predictors. These findings extend and support the use of Linguistic Model of Patient Participation in Care in the maternity context.

Acknowledgments

The Queensland Government funded the Having a Baby in Queensland Survey program, and the Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages distributed the survey to women. The authors thank Rachel Thompson, Julie Porter, Ashleigh Armanasco, Samantha Prosser, and Geoffrey Watson for their roles in measure development, data collection, and management. The authors are grateful to the women who generously shared their experiences of maternity care through the Having a Baby in Queensland Survey, 2010.

Notes

¹Copies of the survey are available online: http://www.qcmb.org.au/survey_program_materials_and_reports.