UNF partners with Mayo Clinic on research related to birth trauma in rural Florida hospitals
New research from the University of North Florida and Mayo Clinic finds that rates of birth-related injuries are higher in rural areas of Florida and that policy strategies focused on improving healthcare quality in rural areas to mitigate increased birth trauma risks need to be strengthened.
The researchers examined inpatient medical discharge data across 103 Florida hospitals from 2013 to 2018 to measure rural community and hospital characteristics associated with birth trauma. The study found that rural hospitals were 3.9 times more likely to experience higher birth trauma than urban hospitals; medium sized hospitals were 2.1 times more likely to experience higher birth trauma; and hospitals who indicate having a safety culture were more likely to have high rates of birth trauma.
The research team included UNF health administration faculty Dr. Hanadi Hamadi and Dr. Jing (Jasper) Xu; a Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville health services researcher Dr. Aaron Spaulding; and UNF alumni Aurora Tafili and Farouk Smith.
Read more about this study and related research on the Mayo Clinic website or the full study on “Hospital Geographic Location and Unexpected Complications in Term Newborns in Florida” in the Maternal and Child Health Journal.