Establishment of a Somali doula program at a large metropolitan hospital.
To meet the unique cultural needs of Somali childbearing women in the United States, a doula support program was implemented at a major midwestern teaching hospital in the spring of 2002. To date, 123 Somali women who have been served by a Somali doula have given birth to live infants at this hospital. Cesarean birth rates in Somali women who had a doula present at birth were lower than the cesarean birth rate for Somali women not attended by a doula. Surveys with the nursing staff indicate that the nurses who have worked with a doula 3 or more times felt more confident caring for Somali women than nurses who have not worked with a doula at least 3 times. Patient feedback indicates positive attitudes about the doula service. Further research needs and suggestions for establishing such a program in other institutions are included.
Dundek
Lora Harding
LH
Fairview Health Services, Minneapolis, Minn. USA. ldundek1@fairview.org
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000208:ethnology*; D015146:Midwestern United States; D008880:Midwifery / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016294:Models, Nursing; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009773:Obstetric Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012998:Somalia / Q000208:ethnology; D016746:Transcultural Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*