Midwives’ views on alcohol guidelines: A qualitative study of barriers and facilitators to implementation in UK antenatal care

Scholin, Lisa and Watson, Julie and Dyson, Judith and Smith, Lesley A. (2021) Midwives’ views on alcohol guidelines: A qualitative study of barriers and facilitators to implementation in UK antenatal care. Sexual and Reproductive Health, 29. ISSN 1877-5756

Preview

Text Midwives views on alcohol guidelines post review sexual and reporductive health.pdf - Accepted Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives. Download (637kB)

Abstract

Abstract
Objective
Midwives play an important role in health promotion and prevention of alcohol-related harm, but previous research has suggested that although most midwives report advising on abstinence, evidence exist that women are informed that “some” alcohol is not harmful. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore midwives’ views on implementation of the 2016 Chief Medical Officers’ alcohol guidelines in antenatal care in the UK.

Methods
Focus groups and individual interviews with 22 midwives working in maternity and educational settings in the UK were conducted either in person or over telephone. Data were subjected to thematic analysis.

Results
Conflict between guidelines from different sources and lack of knowledge of the abstinence advice issued in the Guidelines were barriers to discussing abstinence. Communication with women and building relationships were key facilitators supporting alcohol discussions. How alcohol was addressed appeared to vary across the UK with no uniform approach. Building a trusted relationship was believed to be the way in which women can disclose alcohol use, though the first antenatal contact was not always viewed as the best time to discuss what was considered a personal matter.

Conclusion
Despite the release of new guidance in 2016, there was little recognition and awareness of these among midwives. Midwives were by default guided by other national clinical sources or guidelines. Future research should explore how practice-based interventions can address systemic and interpersonal factors to support health professionals to implement the Guidelines, and ensure that women are provided support to change unhealthy behaviours.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number:	10.1016/j.srhc.2021.100628
Dates:	Date Event 19 April 2021 Accepted 28 April 2021 Published Online 2021 UNSPECIFIED
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Prenatal care Pregnancy Midwives Alcohol Drinking guidelines Prevention
Subjects:	CAH02 - subjects allied to medicine > CAH02-04 - nursing and midwifery > CAH02-04-01 - nursing (non-specific) CAH02 - subjects allied to medicine > CAH02-04 - nursing and midwifery > CAH02-04-04 - midwifery
Divisions:	Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences > Centre for Social Care, Health and Related Research (C-SHARR)
Depositing User:	Judith Dyson
Date Deposited:	08 Oct 2021 09:32
Last Modified:	28 Apr 2022 03:00
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/12261

Actions (login required)

View Item