Historical Reflection on Health Promotion Within Midwifery Care in the United States

Walsh, Linda V.

doi:10.1111/jmwh.12029

J Midwife Womens Health

2013

DOI: 10.1111/jmwh.12029

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Historical Reflection on Health Promotion Within Midwifery Care in the United States

Linda V. Walsh

Abstract: Heath promotion has become recognized as a vital component of health care delivery. It is well known that the traditional model of medical care delivery is limited by its focus on diagnosis of illness and treatment. The integration of public health concepts of prevention and health promotion offers depth and breadth of care that is associated with attaining optimal health status. This review offers a historical reflection on the early and continued integration of health promotion activities in midwifery care i… Show more

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Cited by 2 publications

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“…As Walsh reminds us, the development of midwifery in the United States was integrally tied to community‐based health promotion activities. We cannot and should not let this foundation of midwifery wither on the vine of a contemporary health care system that expects us to understand complex issues and effectively promote lifestyle changes in a 15‐minute visit.…”

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Effective Communication is Essential to Being with Woman: Midwifery Strategies to Strengthen Health Education and Promotion

Murphy¹,

King²

2013

J Midwife Womens Health

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Life expectancy in the United States increased by about 25 years over the last century.1 Approximately 5 of those years were due to improvements in curative medicine and health care. The remaining 20 years have been due to improvements in public health and preventive medicine.2 Even in the face of such significant improvements, it is clear that we have room to do better. Maintenance of health and prevention of disease or worsening health rely heavily on the individual's ability to understand health messages and willingness to engage in lifestyle changes that promote health. And what that requires from health care providers is clear, competent, and convincing communication. It should not be surprising then, that more than half of the time spent during any non-urgent health care visit should be conversation focused on education about health maintenance, health promotion, and positive lifestyle choices. Effective conversation involves meeting our patients where they live: identifying their preferences, their barriers, their facilitators, and their personal health goals.Midwives are known for having an expertise in education and promoting health, but what do we know about how well our efforts are working? Communication is critical, but effective communication requires knowledge of content, cultural humility, and language that accounts for health literacy and health numeracy. Midwifery education programs are packed with the necessary content to provide the best care. Cultural humility is a hallmark of midwifery 3 addressed in midwifery curricula. However, health literacy, health numeracy, and how to communicate effectively are not as often formal components of our professional education.As a profession, perhaps we rely too much on the individual midwife's talent and fervor to maintain our reputation as experts in health promotion, the part of health care that may be the most important health care service offered. How long will midwives be able to maintain this expertise when the sheer amount of information we are expected to convey is growing exponentially and the time allotted for each health care visit is shrinking?It is time that midwives receive formal education in the field of health communication so the time we spend talking with women is effective communication. Health literacy is defined as "the degree to which an individual can obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions."4 Health literacy is a critical national priority because more than half the adults in the United States have some difficulty understanding and acting on health information. 5 In addition, low health literacy is associated with less use of health promotion activities and more hospitalization. 6 To address these issues, Corrarino

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Effective Communication is Essential to Being with Woman: Midwifery Strategies to Strengthen Health Education and Promotion

Murphy¹,

King²

2013

J Midwife Womens Health

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Integrating public health practice into the graduate's role through pre-registration education

Furber

Pusey

Busby

et al. 2017

British Journal of Midwifery

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Public health is now clearly defined in policy and statute as an integral part of the midwife's role and this work continues to develop as health challenges emerge and diversify. To clarify the knowledge and skills required by contemporary midwives, this article provides an overview of health promotion and public health concepts and discusses how these are embedded in midwifery policy. The approaches and processes midwives should adopt are considered and an analysis of public health learning in midwifery education highlights areas that need to be addressed. This paper concludes with recommendations for midwifery pre-registration education to develop the underpinning public health knowledge and skills that midwives require for optimum practice.

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Historical Reflection on Health Promotion Within Midwifery Care in the United States

Cited by 2 publications

References 8 publications

Effective Communication is Essential to Being with Woman: Midwifery Strategies to Strengthen Health Education and Promotion

Effective Communication is Essential to Being with Woman: Midwifery Strategies to Strengthen Health Education and Promotion

Integrating public health practice into the graduate's role through pre-registration education

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