Munassar Abrar Abdulhakim Ahmed, Simsekler Mecit Can Emre, Saad Ahmed Alaaeldin, Qazi Abroon, Omar Mohammed A
Department of Management Science & Engineering, Khalifa University of Science & Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
School of Business Administration, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
PLoS One. 2025 Feb 20;20(2):e0318612. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0318612. eCollection 2025.
Pregnancy and childbirth are commonly seen as positive experiences, but they can also pose distinct challenges and risks, especially when care is insufficient. This study investigates the factors influencing maternity patient experience by exploring the complex interactions among these factors. Using data from the 2021 maternity patient survey by the National Health Services (NHS) in England, we implemented a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) to model these interactions. Three structural learning models were created, namely Bayesian Search (BS), Peter-Clark (PC), and Greedy Thick Thinning (GTT). Further, sensitivity analysis was conducted to quantify interactions among the influencing factors and identify the most influential factor affecting the outcome. The results underscore the importance of recognizing the interdependencies among the eight key domains of the survey, which collectively shape maternity care experiences. These factors include the start of care in pregnancy, antenatal check-ups, care during pregnancy, labour and birth, staff caring, care in the hospital, feeding the baby, and care after birth. These findings can guide healthcare managers and decision-makers in developing proactive strategies to mitigate factors impacting maternity patient experiences. Ultimately, this study contributes to the ongoing efforts to enhance the quality of maternity care and improve outcomes for mothers and their infants.
怀孕和分娩通常被视为积极的经历，但它们也可能带来独特的挑战和风险，尤其是在护理不足的情况下。本研究通过探索这些因素之间的复杂相互作用，调查影响产妇就医体验的因素。利用英国国家医疗服务体系（NHS）2021年产妇调查的数据，我们采用贝叶斯信念网络（BBN）对这些相互作用进行建模。创建了三种结构学习模型，即贝叶斯搜索（BS）、彼得 - 克拉克（PC）和贪婪厚变薄（GTT）。此外，还进行了敏感性分析，以量化影响因素之间的相互作用，并确定影响结果的最具影响力的因素。结果强调了认识到调查的八个关键领域之间相互依存关系的重要性，这些领域共同塑造了产妇护理体验。这些因素包括孕期护理开始、产前检查、孕期护理、分娩和生产、医护人员护理、住院护理、喂养婴儿以及产后护理。这些发现可以指导医疗保健管理人员和决策者制定积极的策略，以减轻影响产妇就医体验的因素。最终，本研究有助于持续努力提高产妇护理质量，并改善母亲及其婴儿的结局。
