PhD Completion Seminar - Alyce Wilson
Towards improving the quality of maternal and newborn care in East New Britain, Papua New Guinea
MSPGH: Nossal Institute and Burnet Institute
Dr Alyce Wilson is a public health physician at the Burnet Institute with a special interest in global reproductive, maternal and newborn health. She is completing her PhD at the Burnet Institute and the Nossal Institute for Global Health. Further to her role at Burnet, Alyce is a Senior Medical Advisor in the Victorian Department of Health and lectures medical and public health students at the University of Melbourne.
Quality care improves maternal and newborn health outcomes. There is a need to prioritise improving the quality of maternal and newborn care globally, especially in low- and middle-income countries, such as Papua New Guinea (PNG), where women and newborns experience high rates of morbidity and mortality during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. Implementing interventions to improve the quality of care in PNG, first requires a systematic and comprehensive assessment of the quality of maternal and newborn care provided and experienced.
This PhD study aimed to fill this knowledge gap by examining the provision and experience of quality maternal and newborn care in five health facilities in East New Britain, PNG. A three-phased participatory implementation research study was undertaken, informed by a Partnership-Defined Quality approach. Gaps in both the provision and experience of care were found, and the findings will be presented in three key areas – what the community thought, the issues around labour and birth and care of the newborn.
This study highlights that mixed methods facilitate a comprehensive examination of care quality. Policies that promote and support quality care are needed at all levels of the health system and quality improvement needs to be embedded into routine practice. A sufficient and well supported health workforce within an enabling environment is vital. Gaps in the quality of maternal and newborn care can be addressed by local quality improvement initiatives, such as supporting women to have a companion of choice present during labour and birth. Lastly, community engagement and leadership is essential for effective quality improvement interventions.
SUPERVISORS:
Primary: Prof Caroline Homer
Co-supervisors: A/Prof Alison Morgan, A/Prof Joshua Vogel, Dr Chris Morgan,
A/Prof Angela Kelly-Hanku and Prof James Beeson
Date and Time: Tuesday 15 March I 10.00 am - 11.00am
Venue Via Zoom: Click here to join the Seminar