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Table 1 Voluntary subject participants and methods of data collection

From: Qualitative assessment of attitudes and knowledge on preterm birth in Malawi and within country framework of care

Method of data collection

Number of groups/interviews

n subject volunteers

Focus group discussions (total time: 110 minutes at site 1, 85 minutes site 2)

Mothers #

2 groups (couple interviews)

4

Fathers

2 groups (couple interviews)

4

Key informant interviews

Community health workers

2 group interviews

20

(total time: 120 minutes site 1, 115 minutes site 2)

Nurse midwife/matron

3 group interviews

3

(total time: 40 minutes site 1, 65 minutes site 2)

Clinical officer*

2 individual interviews

2

(total time: 60 minutes site 1, 65 minutes site 2)

1 group interview (with midwives, site 2)

  1. An independent study volunteer and the primary investigators (K.A. and J.L.) manually and digitally recorded both the time, number of responses, and verbatim nature of the responses. These tabulations were then internally checked, and concordance and consensus was reached on the same day as the interview occurred. Further clarification regarding language, statement, or contextual inference was achieved using an interpreters. This was sought either prior to close of the group interview, or by the end of the same day as the interview occurred.
  2. #All women (mothers) were multiparous, and reported having experienced the anticipated spectrum of comorbidities for this global region. This might include HIV seropositive, history of pregnancy loss, preterm birth, and miscarriage, preeclampsia/eclampsia, and anemia from malaria. There were both currently gravid and non-pregnant volunteer subjects included. This information was not formally collected nor reported in order to protect subject confidentiality, but may have been shared during the course of the group discussions. At site 1, 87.6% of answers were given by women/mothers, and 13.3% were given by men/fathers. At site 2, 55.6% of answers were given by women, and 44.3% by men.
  3. *Clinical officers are somewhat akin to a community practice physician or advanced physician assistant, typically with two years of formalized training followed by18 months to two years of multidisciplinary internship. Clinical officers are well-versed in prevalent complications in obstetrics and gynecology and common interventions, including cesarean deliveries and assisted deliveries, dilation and curettage, and basic ultrasound.
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BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

ISSN: 1471-2393

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