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Inequalities in birth before arrival at hospital in South West England: a multimethods study of neonatal hypothermia and emergency medical services call-handler advice.

Goodwin, Laura; Kirby, Kim; McClelland, Graham; Beach, Emily; Bedson, Adam; Benger, Jonathan Richard; Deave, Toity; Osborne, Ria; McAdam, Helen; McKeon-Carter, Roisin; Miller, Nick; Taylor, Hazel; Voss, Sarah

Inequalities in birth before arrival at hospital in South West England: a multimethods study of neonatal hypothermia and emergency medical services call-handler advice. Thumbnail


Authors

Laura Goodwin

Kim Kirby

Graham McClelland

Emily Beach

Adam Bedson

Jonathan Richard Benger

Profile image of Toity Deave

Toity Deave Toity.Deave@uwe.ac.uk
Associate Professor in Child & Family Health

Ria Osborne

Helen McAdam

Roisin McKeon-Carter

Nick Miller Nick.Miller@uwe.ac.uk
Senior Lecturer in Paramedic Science

Hazel Taylor

Sarah Voss Sarah.Voss@uwe.ac.uk
Professor of Emergency and Critical Care



Abstract

ObjectivesTo examine inequalities in birth before arrival (BBA) at hospitals in South West England, understand which groups are most likely to experience BBA and how this relates to hypothermia and outcomes (phase A). To investigate opportunities to improve temperature management advice given by emergency medical services (EMS) call-handlers during emergency calls regarding BBA in the UK (phase B).DesignA two-phase multimethod study. Phase A analysed anonymised data from hospital neonatal records between January 2018 and January 2021. Phase B analysed anonymised EMS call transcripts, followed by focus groups with National Health Service (NHS) staff and patients.SettingSix Hospital Trusts in South West England and two EMS providers (ambulance services) in South West and North East England.Participants18 multidisciplinary NHS staff and 22 members of the public who had experienced BBA in the UK.Results35% (64/184) of babies conveyed to hospital were hypothermic on arrival. When compared with national data on all births in the South West, we found higher percentages of women with documented safeguarding concerns at booking, previous live births and 'late bookers' (booking their pregnancy >13 weeks gestation). These women may, therefore, be more likely to experience BBA. Preterm babies, babies to first-time mothers and babies born to mothers with disability or safeguarding concerns at booking were more likely to be hypothermic following BBA. Five main themes emerged from qualitative data on call-handler advice: (1) importance placed on neonatal temperature; (2) advice on where the baby should be placed following birth; (3) advice on how to keep the baby warm; (4) timing of temperature management advice and (5) clarity and priority of instructions.ConclusionsFindings identified factors associated with BBA and neonatal hypothermia following BBA. Improvements to EMS call-handler advice could reduce the number of babies arriving at hospital hypothermic.

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Mar 18, 2024
Online Publication Date Apr 28, 2024
Publication Date Apr 28, 2024
Deposit Date Apr 29, 2024
Publicly Available Date Apr 30, 2024
Journal BMJ open
Electronic ISSN 2044-6055
Publisher BMJ Publishing Group
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 14
Issue 4
Article Number e081106
DOI https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-081106
Keywords Neonatology, Maternal Medicine, Health Equity, Accident & Emergency Medicine, Paediatric A&e And Ambulatory Care, Humans, Hypothermia, Focus Groups, Pregnancy, Adult, Infant, Newborn, Emergency Medical Services, England, Female, Male
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11928830
Publisher URL http://bmjopen.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/bmjopen-2023-081106
PMID 38684256

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