Project Description/Research Interests:
This Research will focus on the promotion of maternal healthcare in developing countries. Maternal health in a context of underdevelopment can often be hindered by a lack, or even an absence of access to appropriate health services due to geographic, economic, and/or institutional conditions. Gaps in access often reinforce existing disparities in standards of living amongst the local population. These availability issues are aggravated by the States' incapacity to mobilize sufficient funds for social programming, and resistance to dedicate available funds and resources to maternal health within their budgetary planning process. Capacity building amongst local professionals and institutions is also necessary in many cases in order to promote the efficiency and sustainability of any investment within this sector. Furthermore, the persistence of traditional practices in many of these contexts introduces a higher level of risk to pregnancy and delivery. These factors contribute to high infant and maternal mortality rates in the developing world, which encompasses 99% of such cases on a global scale.
Publications & Presentations:
Caroline has presented at the Canadian Association of Health Services and Policy Research Conference, the World Congress on Public Health, the Canadian Health Workforce Conference, the Global Symposium for Health Systems Research, and the Triennial Congress of the International Confederation of Midwives.
Where you are now?
Caroline is a currently pursuing a PhD in Management within the Telfer School of Management's Health Systems stream. She holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences in International Development and Globalization, and a Master of Science in Health Systems from the University of Ottawa. While completing her MSc in Health Systems, Caroline focused her attention on human resources for maternal health in developing contexts. Accordingly, her thesis research involved a case study of the obstacles and enablers to the professional development of skilled birth attendants providing perinatal care to migrants and refugees within a self-contained health system at the Thailand-Myanmar border. Under the continued supervision of Professor Ivy Lynn Bourgeault, Caroline will utilize the PhD in Management to further develop her research skills and enrich her understanding of the complexities of maternal health workforce sustainability in the context of protracted displacement and fragility.
