Research
Methods
We conducted a qualitative study in Maharashtra between December 2019 and November 2020 to better understand the barriers and facilitators to providing optimum care for neonates in the SNCUs and the current gaps and future needs for SNCU equipment.
We conducted Focus Group Discussions and Key Informant Interviews with healthcare providers, hospital and government administrators, equipment manufacturers and maintenance contractors. Nine hospital facilities with SNCUs, Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), and Specialized Newborn Units (SNBUs) were purposively selected for this study. Facilities included district general hospitals, sub-district hospitals, trust hospitals, and medical colleges. Researchers conducted focus group discussions (FGDs) with pediatric residents and staff nurses, and key informant interviews (KIIs) with pediatricians, medical officers, nurses, and hospital administrators as well as with annual maintenance contractors (AMCs), manufacturers, and Ministry representatives. FGDs and KIIs explored perspectives on equipment function and use, gaps and needs for medical equipment for different types of newborn units, and the equipment-related barriers and facilitators to optimal care for neonates in these units.
FGD and KII guides were developed, pilot tested, and revised. FGDs and KIIs were conducted on site at each facility by trained study staff. At each site, the newborn care unit director or designate determined which staff were eligible for interviews. The research team arranged meetings with participants from the hospital staff. Initial meetings between the research staff and the hospital staff were initiated to build rapport and schedule interviews at convenient times. The study goals and procedures were explained to the eligible newborn care unit staff before ensuring their participation. Participants were informed that there would be no adverse consequences of not participating. Those interested underwent informed consent procedures and if they agreed to participate, they were asked to sign the study consent form. FGDs and KIIs were conducted in private areas at each facility and audio-taped. All transcripts were de-identified for analysis.
This study protocol was approved by the Boston University Internal Review Board, the Lata Medical Research Internal Review Board and Indian Council of Medical Research.
Quotes Matrix
Linked below is the Quotes Matrix for the BB4B study. The Quotes Matrix contains all participant quotes as they related to Barriers, Facilitators, Recommendations by the Social Ecological Model and Recommendations by the major theme.