Giving birth, going home: influences on when low-income women leave hospital.
The US Newborns' and Mothers' Health Protection Act of 1996 ('The Two-Day Law') mandates insurance coverage for women who have just given birth to remain in hospital for two days post-partum. However, many women are being discharged from hospital after 24 hours. To assess why early discharge is still occurring, a study of 406 new mothers was conducted at an urban metropolitan hospital in the USA. The women were aware of the new law (95%) but decision making was often relinquished to hospital authorities. Patients who stayed longer tended to be more assertive in decision making, and used the Two-Day Law as leverage in discussions about going home. The study concluded that the nurses were authoritative and often influential agents in the decision-making process, and that patients were likely to interpret specific interactions with hospital staff as a signal to leave.
Lichtenstein
Bronwen
B
Department of Women's Studies & Institute of Rural Health Research, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa 35487, USA. blichten@bama.ua.edu
Brumfield
Cynthia
C
Cliver
Suzanne
S
Chapman
Victoria
V
Lenze
Deanna
D
Davis
Valisia
V
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006272:Health Facility Environment; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008484:Medicaid; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D009042:Motivation; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011203:Poverty / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States