| Description |
In 2012, approximately 55% of women living in rural Box Elder County (Northern Utah) sought obstetric services from larger facilities in distant locations, despite having quality, comprehensive services available in their community and a generally healthy, low-risk population. Uncomplicated pregnancies accounted for 94% of all births, leaving a mere six percent of the population with diagnoses complicating pregnancy. While larger facilities may offer the stigma of "better" or "safer" care, larger, busier facilities often offer unnecessary interventions during labor and birth, resulting in an increased risk for adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. While the majority of rural residents of Box Elder County sought obstetric services from distant, larger facilities, they may not understand the benefits of seeking obstetric care from local, low-intervention facilities. Seeking low-intervention care during pregnancy (for women with normal, low-risk pregnancies) often results in higher breastfeeding rates, higher maternal satisfaction scores, lower cesarean section delivery rates, shorter labors, fewer neonatal intensive care unit admissions, and an overall decrease in maternal and neonatal complications during childbirth. The purpose of this project was to develop a social marketing campaign to help women who have healthy, uncomplicated pregnancies living in Box Elder County identify the benefits of seeking local, low-intervention maternity services. Social marketing strategies focus on changing the behavior of a target audience free from coercion in order to improve the personal welfare of the target audience. This project was designed to help women understand the facts about local alternatives, to promote positive maternal and neonatal outcomes, and to encourage women to choose their obstetric providers (including facility) according to what they think is most important for themselves and their newborns. An evidence based social marketing campaign was designed and disseminated after fulfilling three focused objectives: 1- pertinent marketing and birth outcomes data specific to Box Elder County was gathered and evaluated. 2- experts in marketing were used as valuable resources for the design of the campaign and 3- the campaign was presented to the Brigham City Community Hospital Board of Directors, who voiced understanding of the importance of the campaign and agreed to sponsor and fund the campaign. Women living in Box Elder County may not be making an informed decision when choosing their obstetric provider. Evidence-based social marketing campaigns such as the "Choose the Right Provider for You" campaign may empower women to learn more about choosing a provider, promote the normalcy of pregnancy and birth, and help women understand the positive outcomes of low-intervention births. |
