Evaluating the extent to which health inequalities - including a focus on the Equality Diversity and Inclusion Agenda - impact on pregnancy outcomes
This research project will examine the effect of health inequalities on the outcomes of pregnancy for both mother and baby, within the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) maternity services.
It is well established that socio-economic deprivation and black and ethnic minority status can result in poorer pregnancy outcomes for women and their babies in the UK and elsewhere.
This project will examine disparities in pregnancy outcomes for a number of different groups of women who have minority or disadvantaged status in the population.
We will examine routinely collected data, and speak to women and staff within ESNEFT, to explore how these, and other markers of disadvantaged or minority status, affect maternity care, pregnancy outcomes and the experience of accessing maternity services in the Trust.
The research will also explore how existing services attempt to reduce health disparities for these groups of women.
This project will have several quantitative and qualitative workstreams.
Examination of routinely collected data
Workstream 1 will include an examination of routinely collected trust data to explore which groups of disadvantaged or minority women are using ESNEFT maternity services, and to examine whether the routinely recorded maternity outcomes for these groups differ from the majority population.
Qualitative research
Further workstreams will explore in depth the experience of selected minority groups of women, using qualitative methods. The experience of both staff and women will be sought, and will include their views on existing services to reduce health inequalities.
PhD research
A PhD project will focus narrowly but in depth on one specific aspect of the experience and outcomes for one group of women.
- Reducing healthcare inequalities - the Core20PLUS5 approach (PDF), NHS England, November 2021
- Information about improving equity and equality in maternity and neonatal care from NHS England
- New taskforce to level-up maternity care and tackle disparities, Department of Health and Social Care and Maria Caulfield MP, GOV.UK, 23 February 2022
- Ethnic and socio-economic inequalities in NHS maternity and perinatal care for women and their babies - lay summary (PDF), National Maternity and Perinatal Audit (NMPA)
