Morehead State University
Examining The Difference in Maternal Health for Women Based on Distance from Hospital
Grade Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Social Work
Institution 23-24
Morehead State University
KY House District #
74
KY Senate District #
28
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Lisa Shannon, PhD, MSW.
Department
Sociology, Social Work, and Criminology Dept.
Abstract
The disparity in maternal health between rural and urban women has been recognized. This study aimed to understand the relationship between the distance women drive (comparing 30 miles less/more) to the hospital and their maternal health, which is an understudied factor in the literature. This is a quantitative study that reached 52 women, using Shout Surveys. The survey consisted of questions asking women’s distance to the hospital in miles during pregnancy, as well as various common maternal health issues such as weight during giving birth, hypertension or high blood pressure, high cholesterol, miscarriage, diabetes, blood clots, dental issues, and post-partum depression. Of the respondents, 92.5% of them reported having at least 1 maternal symptom. There was no relationship between distance and compiled symptoms (X2 = 2.839, p=.430) and distance someone lived from the hospital was not associated with their frequency of compiled symptoms (r=-.069, p=.635). There was a relationship between the symptom of weight during pregnancy and distance (r=.312, p<.029). Although in this study distance cannot be defined as a factor in maternal health, helpful information was still highlighted. There was a relationship between weight of participants during birth and their distance between hospitals and majority of women (92.5%) who took the survey did suffer from at least one maternal health issue. Continuing research to understand how social aspects, distance, and food deserts are affecting these maternal health issues and weight are important as the population of pregnant women and rural families are vulnerable populations with dire needs.
Examining The Difference in Maternal Health for Women Based on Distance from Hospital
The disparity in maternal health between rural and urban women has been recognized. This study aimed to understand the relationship between the distance women drive (comparing 30 miles less/more) to the hospital and their maternal health, which is an understudied factor in the literature. This is a quantitative study that reached 52 women, using Shout Surveys. The survey consisted of questions asking women’s distance to the hospital in miles during pregnancy, as well as various common maternal health issues such as weight during giving birth, hypertension or high blood pressure, high cholesterol, miscarriage, diabetes, blood clots, dental issues, and post-partum depression. Of the respondents, 92.5% of them reported having at least 1 maternal symptom. There was no relationship between distance and compiled symptoms (X2 = 2.839, p=.430) and distance someone lived from the hospital was not associated with their frequency of compiled symptoms (r=-.069, p=.635). There was a relationship between the symptom of weight during pregnancy and distance (r=.312, p<.029). Although in this study distance cannot be defined as a factor in maternal health, helpful information was still highlighted. There was a relationship between weight of participants during birth and their distance between hospitals and majority of women (92.5%) who took the survey did suffer from at least one maternal health issue. Continuing research to understand how social aspects, distance, and food deserts are affecting these maternal health issues and weight are important as the population of pregnant women and rural families are vulnerable populations with dire needs.