Educational Interventions for Rural Maternity Care: Provider Perspectives on Patient Education Materials and Communication Strategies

Abstract: Effective patient education is critical for improving maternity health outcomes, particularly in rural areas where access to care is limited. This study examines healthcare providers' perspectives on current educational tools and strategies for maternity care in upstate rural New York. We conducted a semi-structured focus group with 13 healthcare professionals (i.e., directors, professors/researchers, clinical managers/leaders, and associates) in rural New York to understand the educational needs, barriers, and opportunities for improving patient education in rural maternity care. The focus group was conducted via Zoom, and the entire session was recorded and subsequently transcribed using the Otter.ai transcription tool. Two independent reviewers analyzed the transcripts, and any discrepancies were resolved through consensus. The thematic analysis approach used was deductive, and guided emergent themes aligned to the categories of CONTENT, FORMAT, and DELIVERY MODE. Our analysis revealed significant patient education and communication challenges associated with traditional educational approaches, highlighting the need for more patient-centered and tailored educational materials. Overall, the findings underscore the need for greater support for rural maternal care leaders and practitioners to deliver more contextually and culturally appropriate, patient-centered educational materials in rural settings. Implementing targeted interventions that provide accurate, applicable, easily-accessible, inclusive, and user-friendly digital educational resources on maternal care is essential to effectively support this patient population.

Keywords: Rural Healthcare, Maternal Healthcare, Educational Materials

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007052

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