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Obstetric Quality and Safety

Poster Session 2

(458) Exploring the Association Between Provider-Patient Communication and Maternal Antenatal Anxiety.

Tuesday, February 13, 2024
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM  
Location: Prince George's Exhibit Hall CDE, Lower Atrium Level
Objective: Maternal anxiety is associated with adverse outcomes such as gestational hypertension and may be compounded by perceived higher risk of birth complications. Provider communication may impact patient’s anxiety, either directly by providing information and support, or indirectly by connecting them with mental health providers. This study aims to explore whether quality provider-patient communication is associated with reduced antenatal anxiety.

Study Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted using patient-reported data from “The Pandemic Impacts and Supports: COVID-19 Experience Study (PISCES)”, a cohort of obstetric patients at a large academic center. Provider-patient communication was assessed using the Kim Alliance Scale Communication Subscale (KAS-CM). Patients were considered to have received recent mental health support if they reported seeing a mental health provider in the past month. Anxiety was assessed using the 7-item Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Scale (PRAS). Both scales were standardized. Associations were calculated using linear or negative binomial regression, as appropriate. 

Results: A total of 775 survey responses were collected. Respondents were on average 33 weeks gestational age (Standard Deviation (SD): 10.6), majority White (35%) and 31% had an advanced degree (Table 1). Pregnant women who had better communication with their prenatal provider exhibited lower levels of anxiety (coefficient = -0.22, p=0.001). While patients with higher anxiety were slightly more likely to have received recent mental health support (risk ratio (RR): 1.1, p</span>=0.067), there was no association between provider communication style and receipt of therapy (p=0.984). 

Conclusion:

The association between quality provider communication and reduced antenatal anxiety emphasizes the importance of clear, non-judgmental interactions. Effective communication directly impacts anxiety, bypassing the need for improved therapy access as an intermediary. Future research should assess the association among more diverse populations.