This thesis sets out to explore some important gaps in the sociological and feminist understanding of the provision of maternity care and of women's health needs. The research was concerned with an exploration of the implementation of proposals for the provision of user-centred maternity care which emerged from the critiques of current medicalised provision. It evaluates the effects of an attempt to provide user-centred maternity care within the Primary Health Care sector (PHC) from both the women's and workers' perspectives and experience. The central questions addressed within the research have been: Firstly, to assess the degree to which such models of service delivery provide a user centred approach. Secondly, to identify the form of the relationship between the women users and providers from the practices and to develop an understanding of the mechanisms of interaction between them. Thirdly, to explore the extent to which the provision of such care is appropriate to match women users' self identified needs. Finally, to assess the potential of female health workers to adopt a form of provider and user relationship where the balance of power is altered in the users' favour. The main body of the research consisted of a qualitative study conducted in two general practices. These were chosen as specific examples of innovative practices attempting to provide a genuinely user-centred maternity service. The fieldwork consisted of three methodological components: Firstly, unstructured interviews were conducted with women users and workers. A sample of 30 women who were pregnant for the first time were interviewed on three occasions during their pregnancy and in the immediate post-natal period. In addition, 10 second time mothers were also interviewed post-natally. In terms of the workers', in depth interviews were conducted with midwives, GPs and practice nurses within the PHC setting. Secondly, observations were undertaken on the interactions between the women and workers and between members of the PHC team during the course of the women's antenatal and post-natal care. Finally, a structured questionnaire was used with a sample of women from one of the practice's well woman clinic. The research findings indicate the existence of a user-centred frame of reference held by female health workers - especially the midwives - for the provision of health care to women, which was opposed to the medical model. It explores the translation into practice of this model of maternity care and identifies the way that it functioned to enable women to exercise greater control over their health care and experience of pregnancy. Within this model the traditional 'with woman' role of the midwife was found to be central. Considerable convergence was found between the models held by the main parties in the interaction - issues concerned with choice, control and the provision of information were all found to be central to the care provided and to women's and workers' models. However, constraints on the effective implementation of the model were found in terms of the influence of professionalism (particularly on the GPs) and the dominance of the hospital system. These resulted in limits to the women workers' ability to meet the needs of women users.

Submitted by JOSIANE SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA (josianeso) on 2018-08-07T15:34:17Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Mariana Postingher_.pdf: 540542 bytes, checksum: c91f8529aee6ff76c3a25a5d7054e562 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-07T15:34:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Mariana Postingher_.pdf: 540542 bytes, checksum: c91f8529aee6ff76c3a25a5d7054e562 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-04-20 / Nenhuma / O atendimento às mulheres com diagnóstico de aborto requer uma atenção segura e humanizada. O abortamento, independente de sua etiologia, é um evento vivenciado por mulheres em crescente índice no Brasil, e se não bem manejado, apresenta riscos e complicações, como a mortalidade. Poucos são os estudos que apresentam a preocupação com os sentimentos e necessidades de saúde dos envolvidos no abortamento. Neste sentido, o presente estudo visou construir e propor a implantação de um protocolo assistencial multiprofissional para mulheres com diagnóstico de aborto, investigando como ocorre a assistência multiprofissional prestada às mulheres com diagnóstico de abortamento. Trata-se de um olhar qualitativo, descritivo e exploratório sendo utilizada a pesquisa ação como meio de entender o atendimento às mulheres com diagnóstico de abortamento, considerando a tríade das práticas baseadas em evidências. Para este, foram entrevistadas dez mulheres que vivenciaram pelo menos um atendimento hospitalar por abortamento no ano de 2017, buscando as preferências das mulheres e a realização da técnica de grupo focal com nove profissionais da saúde que atuavam há mais de dois anos na instituição de escolha da pesquisa, discutindo as evidências clínicas e habilidades clínicas. Mediante análise das evidências e discussão dos dados do estudo, foi possível a construção do protocolo de atendimento a mulheres em situação de abortamento. Os resultados mostram que há necessidade de capacitações com as equipes de saúde, como também de sistematizar o atendimento do abortamento, buscando a individualização de cada caso devido às necessidades de saúde da mulher, desde o diagnóstico do aborto até o posterior planejamento reprodutivo ou contraceptivo. / The care for women diagnosed with abortion requires a safe and humanized attention. Abortion independent of its etiology and is an event experienced by women in an increased index in Brazil, and if not well carried, presents risks and complications such as mortality. Few are the studies that show concern with the feelings and health needs of those involved in abortion. In this sense, the present study aimed to build and propose the implementation of a multiprofessional care protocol for women diagnosed with abortion, investigating how multiprofessional care provided to women with a diagnosis of abortion happens. It´s a qualitative, descriptive and exploratory look which uses action research as a way to understand the care of women with a diagnosis of abortion, considering the triad of evidence-based practices. For this one, ten women who had experienced at least one hospitalization per abortion in the year 2017 were interviewed, seeking the women's preferences and the realization of the focus group technique with nine health professionals who had been working for more than two years at the institution of research choice, discussing the clinical evidence and clinical skills. Through analysis of the evidence and discussion of the study data, it was possible to construct the protocol of assistance to women in situations of abortion. The results show that there is a need for training with health teams and systematizing abortion care, looking for the individualization of each case due to women's health needs, from the diagnosis of abortion to subsequent reproductive or contraceptive planning.