Documenting and characterising gestational weight gain beliefs and experiences among Marshallese pregnant women in Arkansas: a protocol for a longitudinal mixed-methods study

Introduction Arkansas has the largest population of Marshallese Pacific Islanders residing in the continental USA. The Marshallese have higher rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, pre-term births, low birthweight babies, infant mortality, and inadequate or no prenatal care. Despite the high rates of c...

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Main Authors: Pearl A McElfish, Britni L Ayers, Cari A Bogulski, Lauren Haggard-Duff, Aline Andres, Elisabet Børsheim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2020-09-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/9/e037219.full
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author Pearl A McElfish
Britni L Ayers
Cari A Bogulski
Lauren Haggard-Duff
Aline Andres
Elisabet Børsheim
author_facet Pearl A McElfish
Britni L Ayers
Cari A Bogulski
Lauren Haggard-Duff
Aline Andres
Elisabet Børsheim
author_sort Pearl A McElfish
collection DOAJ
description Introduction Arkansas has the largest population of Marshallese Pacific Islanders residing in the continental USA. The Marshallese have higher rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, pre-term births, low birthweight babies, infant mortality, and inadequate or no prenatal care. Despite the high rates of cardiometabolic and maternal and child health disparities among Marshallese, there are no studies documenting gestational weight gain or perceptions about gestational weight gain among the Marshallese population residing in the USA.Methods and analysis This paper describes the protocol of a mixed-methods concurrent triangulation longitudinal study designed to understand gestational weight gain in Marshallese women. The mixed-methods design collects qualitative and quantitative data during simultaneous data collection events, at both first and third trimester, and then augments that data with postpartum data abstraction. Quantitative and qualitative data will be analysed separately and then synthesised during the interpretation phase.Ethics and dissemination The study used a community engaged approach approved by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Institutional Review Board (#228023). The research team will disseminate results to study participants, research stakeholders (clinics, faith-based organisations and community-based organisation), the broader Marshallese community and fellow researchers. Results will be disseminated to study participants through a one-page summary that show the aggregated research results using plain language and infographics.
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spelling doaj-art-becd297e0dfa40ca89c5657fc7f8e5cb2025-08-20T02:26:56ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552020-09-0110910.1136/bmjopen-2020-037219Documenting and characterising gestational weight gain beliefs and experiences among Marshallese pregnant women in Arkansas: a protocol for a longitudinal mixed-methods studyPearl A McElfish0Britni L Ayers1Cari A Bogulski2Lauren Haggard-Duff3Aline Andres4Elisabet Børsheim51 College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USACollege of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USAOffice of Community Health and Research, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USACollege of Nursing, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USAArkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, Little Rock, Arkansas, USAArkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, Little Rock, Arkansas, USAIntroduction Arkansas has the largest population of Marshallese Pacific Islanders residing in the continental USA. The Marshallese have higher rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, pre-term births, low birthweight babies, infant mortality, and inadequate or no prenatal care. Despite the high rates of cardiometabolic and maternal and child health disparities among Marshallese, there are no studies documenting gestational weight gain or perceptions about gestational weight gain among the Marshallese population residing in the USA.Methods and analysis This paper describes the protocol of a mixed-methods concurrent triangulation longitudinal study designed to understand gestational weight gain in Marshallese women. The mixed-methods design collects qualitative and quantitative data during simultaneous data collection events, at both first and third trimester, and then augments that data with postpartum data abstraction. Quantitative and qualitative data will be analysed separately and then synthesised during the interpretation phase.Ethics and dissemination The study used a community engaged approach approved by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Institutional Review Board (#228023). The research team will disseminate results to study participants, research stakeholders (clinics, faith-based organisations and community-based organisation), the broader Marshallese community and fellow researchers. Results will be disseminated to study participants through a one-page summary that show the aggregated research results using plain language and infographics.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/9/e037219.full
spellingShingle Pearl A McElfish
Britni L Ayers
Cari A Bogulski
Lauren Haggard-Duff
Aline Andres
Elisabet Børsheim
Documenting and characterising gestational weight gain beliefs and experiences among Marshallese pregnant women in Arkansas: a protocol for a longitudinal mixed-methods study
BMJ Open
title Documenting and characterising gestational weight gain beliefs and experiences among Marshallese pregnant women in Arkansas: a protocol for a longitudinal mixed-methods study
title_full Documenting and characterising gestational weight gain beliefs and experiences among Marshallese pregnant women in Arkansas: a protocol for a longitudinal mixed-methods study
title_fullStr Documenting and characterising gestational weight gain beliefs and experiences among Marshallese pregnant women in Arkansas: a protocol for a longitudinal mixed-methods study
title_full_unstemmed Documenting and characterising gestational weight gain beliefs and experiences among Marshallese pregnant women in Arkansas: a protocol for a longitudinal mixed-methods study
title_short Documenting and characterising gestational weight gain beliefs and experiences among Marshallese pregnant women in Arkansas: a protocol for a longitudinal mixed-methods study
title_sort documenting and characterising gestational weight gain beliefs and experiences among marshallese pregnant women in arkansas a protocol for a longitudinal mixed methods study
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/9/e037219.full
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