Deep health: A qualitative, woman-centered perspective of health during pregnancy.
Crystal Modde Epstein, Julia F Houfek, Lawrency P Jones
PMID 36870255WHAT IT FOUND
Pregnant women defined health as an integrated experience of emotional energy, healthy behaviors, and material stability.
Low-income women prioritized housing and job security over lifestyle advice, while first-time mothers focused on managing emotional changes.
Key findings
01Women described health as a multi-faceted experience involving emotional energy (Being), healthy behaviors (Doing), and access to resources (Having).
02Low-income women prioritized securing stable housing and income over health behaviors, while women with higher education and income focused on exercise and diet.
03First-time and younger mothers were more focused on the emotional and physical changes of pregnancy, often experiencing uncertainty.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study used secondary data from a parent study, restricting the type and amount of information available. Participants were from one geographic area in the US, limiting generalizability. The study was conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic, so it does not reflect recent stressors. The quantitative word count analysis may have been biased by the interviewer's follow-up questions.
Declared interests
The authors report no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these themes as evidence that a specific intervention improves health outcomes. This is a descriptive study of patient perspectives, not a trial of efficacy.