Date of Completion
2025
Document Type
Honors College Thesis
Department
Nursing
Thesis Type
Honors College
First Advisor
Teresa Cahill-Griffin, D.N.P., RN
Second Advisor
Jeremy Sibold, Ed.D, ATC, NBC-HWC
Keywords
Social Determinants of Health, SDOH, Rural Populations, Women's Health, Postpartum Care, Vermont
Abstract
Background
Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) uniquely impact those seeking out women’s healthcare, as women and minority groups are more vulnerable to the poor health outcomes SDOH create. SDOH ultimately result in unequal distribution of healthcare services to individuals accessing postpartum care, consequently increasing the risk of illness for the postpartum population.
Objective
The purpose of this study is to identify the most significant barriers to accessing postpartum healthcare in Vermont.
Methods
This study employed a descriptive observational research design with use of online surveys for data collection. Patient and healthcare professional participant groups completed anonymous surveys on the Qualtrics platform regarding their experiences giving and/or receiving postpartum care. The 18-item survey consisted of multiple-choice, Likert scale, and short answer questions. Descriptive statistics were calculated for frequency distribution of both patient and healthcare professional self-perceived barriers to postpartum care. Categorical observations were made using the Stats iQ feature on Qualtrics.
Results
Participants (n=12) identified a new theme that has not been previously addressed in postpartum SDOH research; difficulty prioritizing postpartum care amidst other postpartum responsibilities. Both the healthcare professional and patient populations expressed that new parents have low prioritization of their own healthcare needs in relation to other responsibilities – newborn healthcare, transportation needs, food insecurity, housing insecurity, and work. The SDOH identified as having the most significant impact on access to postpartum care across participant population groupings were low health literacy, lack of transportation, low income, social biases/stereotypes, poor English proficiency, and lack of social support.
Conclusions
Healthcare professionals indicate that a lack of supportive resources result in difficulty accessing and prioritizing one’s own healthcare over other needs. The development and implementation of advanced education regarding community resources for new parents may increase social support and help to alleviate transportation, food, and housing insecurities.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Stitcher, Chloe R., "Identifying Perceived Barriers to Postpartum Healthcare Among Patients and Healthcare Professionals in Vermont" (2025). UVM Patrick Leahy Honors College Senior Theses. 757.
https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/hcoltheses/757
