Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Mar 8, 2018
Open Peer Review Period: Mar 9, 2018 - May 4, 2018
Date Accepted: Nov 6, 2018
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
Development of a Web-Based Form to Collect and Analyze Data with Interactive Charts on Home Birth in Italy
ABSTRACT
Background:
The use of web-based forms and data-analysis can improve the collection and visualization of data in clinical research; in Italy no register exists that collects clinical data concerning home birth.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was (1) to develop a web portal with which to collect, through a web-based form, data on home births in Italy and (2) to provide those interested with a graphic visualization of the analyses and data collected.
Methods:
Following the WHO (World Health Organization) guidelines, and adding questions based on scientific evidence, the CRF (case report form) on the online form was drafted by the midwives of the National Association of Out-of-Hospital Birth Midwives. During an initial phase, a group of midwives (n = 10) tested the CRF, leading to improvements and adding the necessary questions to achieve a CRF that would allow a more complete collection of data. After the test phase, the entire group of midwives (n = 166) registered themselves on the system, and began filling out their birth questionnaires. In a subsequent phase, the administrators of the portal were able to view the completed forms also in a graphic format through the use of interactive maps and graphs.
Results:
During 2014-2016, 58 midwives included 599 birth questionnaires via the web portal; of these, 443 were home-based, 76% of which were performed at home, and 24% at a midwifery unit. Most of the births, assisted (79%) were in northern Italy, and the average age of the mother and father was, respectively, 33.6 and 37.0 years.
Conclusions:
We developed an innovative web-based form that allows, for the first time in Italy, the collection of data on home births and births in the midwifery unit. Furthermore, the data collected are viewable online by the midwives through interactive maps and graphs that allow them to have a general and continuously updated view of the situation of extra hospital births performed by the National Association of Out-of-Hospital Birth Midwives. These tools have proven useful for monitoring and improving clinical practice in home births.
Citation
Per the author's request the PDF is not available.
Copyright
© The authors. All rights reserved. This is a privileged document currently under peer-review/community review (or an accepted/rejected manuscript). Authors have provided JMIR Publications with an exclusive license to publish this preprint on it's website for review and ahead-of-print citation purposes only. While the final peer-reviewed paper may be licensed under a cc-by license on publication, at this stage authors and publisher expressively prohibit redistribution of this draft paper other than for review purposes.