It sounds even crazier as you put it but we referred to the optimal birth in
terms of the birth outcomes.
The concept was originaly developed by a pediatrician to assess newborns. I
imagine you would not like to refer to a newborn as optimal. I would not
refer to a woman as optimal either - but her birth might be.
Patty
----- Original Message -----
From: "Marianne Mead" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2003 7:04 AM
Subject: Re: Fw: Outcome data
> Patty,
>
> Interesting approach to use the word "optimality", if it is indeed an
> English word, but it is a noun and not an adjective. Women can be healthy
> or unhealthy, and care can aim to maintain or even improve health, but
> women cannot be defined as "optimised", though in French the word
> "optimalisation" means augmentation of labour in the context of pregnancy.
> A bit confusing.
>
> In the context of my own research, I preferred to used the terms "healthy"
> or "suitable for midwifery led care" rather than "low risk". But there is
> no way that I could define a woman as "optimised". Ii have to admit that
> these women were identified through a series of exclusion criteria so that
> women who could not be said to be suitable for exclusive midwifery care
> were excluded from the study. I am sure that defining inclusion criteria
> would be much more difficult, and to comment on a question from Soo,
> interpretations would probably vary substantially, but I have not had time
> to check this out, so it is just a personal opinion.
>
> Marianne Mead
>
>
>
> At 15:15 15-01-03 -0500, you wrote:
> >The problem with useing the concept "healthy" is that if you do not have
it
> >you are "unhealthy" or "pathological". We used the concept developed in
> >Holland - optimality. It sounds a bit crazy but it avoids the whole
notion
> >of pathology around birth.
> >Patty
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Soo Downe" <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: <[log in to unmask]>
> >Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2003 4:45 PM
> >Subject: Re: Fw: Outcome data
> >
> >
> >> rosalee, this is of interest to us in the light of some work that a
number
> >of us are trying to do both in the context of outcome measures, and of
> >minimum data sets to measure 'normal birth' (whatever that is). Do you
think
> >that the term 'healthy' is interpreted in a common manner, both between
> >midwives, and between midwives, obstetricans and women? some of the work
i
> >am involved in suggests that womens interpretation of wellbeing may well
be
> >very different from that of professional groups. This may affect the
kinds
> >of outcomes used to measure 'health'. did you find anything which may
chime
> >with these findings?
> >>
> >> all the best
> >>
> >> Soo
> >>
> >> Dr Soo Downe
> >> Director
> >> Research in Childbearing and Health (ReaCH) group
> >> Midwifery Studies Research Unit
> >> University of Central Lancashire
> >> Preston PR1 2HE
> >> Lancs
> >> England
> >>
> >> tel: 01772 893815
> >>
> >> >>> [log in to unmask] 12/17/02 10:38pm >>>
> >> Jane, my doctoral work was looking at midwifery indicators and
outcomes.
> >> Although the work is yet unfinished, I would be happy to discuss it
> >further.
> >>
> >> There is a deal of difficulty in differentiating between medical and
> >midwifery outcomes, and I found that for both of these groups the
ultimate
> >outcome is "healthy mother, healthy baby" and the indicators linked to
this.
> >> The main difference between midwifery and medicine is not in the
ultimate
> >aim, but in the process, and so I am finding that process indicators are
> >much more relevant, e.g. the use of chemical pain management is one
example.
> >>
> >> Happy to discuss this further if its useful.
> >> Rosalee
> >>
> >> >>> [log in to unmask] 12/17/02 06:33PM >>>
> >> I have forwarded this message on behalf of a query to ICM. Please send
> >replies to list and I will collate, and return to the list and the
original
> >sender.
> >> Jane Sandall - list moderator
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >>
> >>
> >> Pam McQuide and I are working on a paper re: nursing and midwifery
> >outcomes. Do you have any recommendations regarding literature of
midwifery
> >outcomes or cost comparisons across different types of care providers.
> >Finding good conclusive studies in the literature has been difficult.
> >>
> >> Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks for your help. Judy
> >
> >
>
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