Impact of Telemedicine on Maternal Transports for Low Birth Weight Babies
Author Information
Author(s): Britt David W, Bronstein Janet, Norton Jonathan D
Primary Institution: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Hypothesis
How do telemedical and hospital-level resources impact transports of mothers expecting very low birth weight (VLBW) babies?
Conclusion
Telemedical and hospital resources significantly influence the transport decisions for mothers carrying VLBW babies.
Supporting Evidence
- Having a telemedical site increases the probability of transport for mothers with VLBW babies.
- Teen mothers are more likely to be transported than older mothers.
- Hispanic mothers are less likely to be transported compared to non-Hispanic mothers.
Takeaway
This study shows that having telemedicine and good hospitals helps doctors decide to move mothers with very small babies to better care.
Methodology
Logistic regression was used to analyze de-identified birth certificate data from the Arkansas Department of Health.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in the selection of telemedical sites and hospital resources.
Limitations
The study only included data from Arkansas and may not be generalizable to other regions.
Participant Demographics
The sample included mothers carrying VLBW babies, with a notable percentage being Hispanic and teen mothers.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Confidence Interval
1.07 to 4.98
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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