title: The relationship between women's experiences of mistreatment at facilities during childbirth, types of support received and person providing the support in Lucknow, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  a growing body of literature has highlighted the prevalence of mistreatment that women experience around the globe during childbirth, including verbal and physical abuse, neglect, lack of support, and disrespect. Much of this has been qualitative. Research around the world suggests that support during childbirth can improve health outcomes and behaviours, and improve experiences. Support can be instrumental, informational, or emotional, and can be provided by a variety of people including family (husbands, mothers) or health providers of various professional levels. This study explores women's reported experiences of mistreatment during childbirth quantitatively, and how these varied by specific types of support available and provided by specific individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  participants were women age 16-30 who had delivered infants in a health facility in the previous five years and were living in slums of Lucknow India. Data were collected on their experiences of mistreatment, the types of support they received, and who provided that support.
  
  
  RESULTS
  women who reported lack of support were more likely to report mistreatment. Lack of support in regards to discussions with providers and provider information were most strongly associated with a higher mistreatment score. Women who received any type of support from their husband or a health worker were significantly more likely to report lower mistreatment scores. Receiving informational support from a mother/mother-in-law or emotional support from a health worker was also associated with lower mistreatment scores. However, receiving emotional support from a friend/neighbour/other family member was associated with a higher mistreatment score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  women rely on different people to provide different types of support during childbirth in this setting. Some of these individuals provide specific types of support that ultimately improve a woman's overall experience of her childbirth. Interventions aiming to reduce mistreatment to women during childbirth should consider the important role of increasing support for women, and who might be the most appropriate person to provide the most essential types of support through this process.
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, 550 16th Street, 3rd Floor, Box 1224, San Francisco, CA 94158, United States. Electronic address: Nadia.diamond-smith@ucsf.edu.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Diamond-Smith
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, 550 16th Street, 3rd Floor, Box 1224, San Francisco, CA 94158, United States. Electronic address: May.Sudhinaraset@ucsf.edu.
authors.forename: May
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sudhinaraset
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, 550 16th Street, 3rd Floor, Box 1224, San Francisco, CA 94158, United States. Electronic address: jason.melo@att.net.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.affiliation: Foundation for Research in Health Systems, G-1, Brigade Bussiness Suites, 44, T.Mariappa Road, 100 feet Road, Jayanagar 2nd Block, Bangalore 560011, India. Electronic address: nmurthy@frhsindia.org.
authors.forename: Nirmala
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Murthy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006268:Health Facilities / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D036801:Parturition / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires