Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
Black women experience disproportionately high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality, making it essential to examine access to and the perceived impact of doula support. This study examines whether socioeconomic status influences access to and the perceived benefits of doula support among Black women who experienced severe maternal morbidity (SMM). Researchers surveyed Black women ages 18-49 who had a live birth within the past two years and experienced SMM. Participants were recruited and completed an online survey in late 2020. Key variables included income, education, doula use, and perceived quality of prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum care. Among 188 participants, 12.2% used a doula. Higher‑income and higher‑education groups showed slightly higher use, but the differences were not statistically significant. Doula use was also not associated with differences in perceived care quality. Socioeconomic status did not significantly influence doula use or perceived benefits among Black women with SMM. Because doula support did not significantly affect perceived care quality among participants, addressing broader structural inequities that shape maternal health outcomes for Black women remains necessary.
Disciplines
Maternal, Child Health and Neonatal Nursing | Medicine and Health Sciences | Nursing Midwifery | Population Health | Public Health | Public Health and Community Nursing | Women's Health
Publication Date
2026
Language
English
Faculty Mentor of Honors Project
Kyrah Brown
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Esene, Deborah, "SOCIOECONOMIC INFLUENCES ON DOULA ACCESS AND PERCEIVED CARE QUALITY AMONG BLACK WOMEN EXPERIENCING SEVERE MATERNAL MORBIDITY" (2026). 2026 Spring Honors Capstones Projects. 10.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/honors_spring2026/10
Included in
Maternal, Child Health and Neonatal Nursing Commons, Nursing Midwifery Commons, Population Health Commons, Public Health and Community Nursing Commons, Women's Health Commons