Parents´ satisfaction with maternity clinic services in rural and urban areas in Finland: a population-based cross-sectional survey
Rinne, Johanna; Kinnunen, Tarja I.; Klemetti, Reija (2025)
BioMed Central
2025
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe20251022102784
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe20251022102784
Tiivistelmä
Background
Satisfaction with maternity clinic services has been studied both internationally and nationally including participants from urban and rural areas. However, studies comparing urban and rural parents´ experiences have rarely been conducted. This study compared overall satisfaction with maternity care services and satisfaction with support for parenthood, depression, personal coping, fear of childbirth, and preparing for labour and birth between parents living in urban, semi-urban and rural areas in Finland.
Method
The study used data from FinChildren cross-sectional population-based survey that was collected between March 2020 and January 2021 from parents with a 3- to 6-months-old child. The study population consisted of 8,977 parents who gave birth (response rate 50%) and 5,843 other parents (response rate 36%). The data were gathered with questionnaires. The data were analysed with bivariate logistic regression, adjusted for age, country of birth, relationship status, education, and a change of the public health nurse or midwife during pregnancy.
Results
Other parents living in urban municipalities were less likely to report being overall satisfied with the services compared to the other parents living in rural municipalities (odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.75, 0.60–0.94). Parents living in urban municipalities were less likely to report being satisfied with the received support for parenthood (ORs and 95% CIs for parents who gave birth 0.74, 0.55-1.00, other parents 0.66, 0.43–1.01). Parents living in urban municipalities were less likely to be satisfied with the support for preparing themselves for labour and birth (ORs and 95% CIs for parents who gave birth 0.62, 0.51–0.76, other parents 0.63, 0.42–0.95). Differences in satisfaction with support for depression, support for personal coping for everyday life, and support for coping with the fear of childbirth between (both) parents living in rural, semi-urban and urban municipalities were not statistically significant.
Conclusion
Overall, results show that parents living in urban municipalities are less likely to report being satisfied with the received support than parents living in semi-urban and rural municipalities. The reasons for these differences should be explored in future studies.
Satisfaction with maternity clinic services has been studied both internationally and nationally including participants from urban and rural areas. However, studies comparing urban and rural parents´ experiences have rarely been conducted. This study compared overall satisfaction with maternity care services and satisfaction with support for parenthood, depression, personal coping, fear of childbirth, and preparing for labour and birth between parents living in urban, semi-urban and rural areas in Finland.
Method
The study used data from FinChildren cross-sectional population-based survey that was collected between March 2020 and January 2021 from parents with a 3- to 6-months-old child. The study population consisted of 8,977 parents who gave birth (response rate 50%) and 5,843 other parents (response rate 36%). The data were gathered with questionnaires. The data were analysed with bivariate logistic regression, adjusted for age, country of birth, relationship status, education, and a change of the public health nurse or midwife during pregnancy.
Results
Other parents living in urban municipalities were less likely to report being overall satisfied with the services compared to the other parents living in rural municipalities (odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.75, 0.60–0.94). Parents living in urban municipalities were less likely to report being satisfied with the received support for parenthood (ORs and 95% CIs for parents who gave birth 0.74, 0.55-1.00, other parents 0.66, 0.43–1.01). Parents living in urban municipalities were less likely to be satisfied with the support for preparing themselves for labour and birth (ORs and 95% CIs for parents who gave birth 0.62, 0.51–0.76, other parents 0.63, 0.42–0.95). Differences in satisfaction with support for depression, support for personal coping for everyday life, and support for coping with the fear of childbirth between (both) parents living in rural, semi-urban and urban municipalities were not statistically significant.
Conclusion
Overall, results show that parents living in urban municipalities are less likely to report being satisfied with the received support than parents living in semi-urban and rural municipalities. The reasons for these differences should be explored in future studies.