Elin Larsson recieves 4 980 000 SEK in project grant from Forte
Elin Larsson recieves 4 980 000 SEK in project grant for the project IMPROVE it: “IMplementing best practice postpartum contraceptive services through a quality imPROVEment initiative for and with immigrant women in Sweden”.
Could you tell us more about the grant?
"We were awarded a project grant from Forte of nearly 5 million SEK for 2022-2024, where I am the PI. It is a collaboration between GPH and KBH at KI.The project is called IMPROVE it and the main aim is to promote equitable reproductive health in Sweden. The background is that we know that immigrant women in Sweden- and in other high-income settings in Europe and the US- use effective contraception to less extent as compared to the majority population. Moreover are immigrant populations often left out of sexual and reproductive health- research projects, due to language barriers etc. The IMPROVE it project stands for “IMplementing best practice postpartum contraceptive services through a quality imPROVEment initiative for and with immigrant women in Sweden” and will answer the following research questions:
- What are immigrant women’s and men’s views on reproductive decisions, contraception, partner’s involvement, and how to improve contraceptive counseling? (Study 1)
- Does a Quality Improvement Collaborative (QIC) increase the proportion of immigrant women who choose an effective postpartum contraceptive method? (Study 2a)
- How and by what mechanisms is contraceptive services influenced by a Quality Improvement Collaborative, and how does context affect the implementation, and outcomes? (Study 2b)
The focus is the largest immigrant groups in Sweden and the project builds on a pilot project that aims to improve postpartum contraceptive services, in three maternal health clinics who participated in a QIC in Stockholm, 2018–2019. In that project the midwives started to register women’s choice of contraception in the Swedish Pregnancy Register. Every 3 months, the clinic midwives met at learning seminars to review their data on (immigrant) women’s choice of contraception, and decide on evidence-based changes in contraceptive services. The results showed that the proportion of immigrant women who choose an effective contraceptive method increased from 30% to 47%. While the QIC showed positive results, it was a small-scale study. To thoroughly evaluate the effectiveness of the QIC, the larger randomized study IMPROVE it is needed. The IMPROVE it project includes target-group involvement. By coproducing the contraceptive services in collaboration with immigrant women and men, midwives and researchers, equity in SRHR will likely be promoted. Ultimately IMPROVE it aims to better understand challenges in contraceptive services, and to strengthen immigrant women’s autonomy in choosing effective postpartum contraceptive methods", says Elin Larsson.
What does this mean to you and your research?
"This means that we could actually do what we have planned to do, since Forte financed the project according to the budget submitted- and needed. In addition KI has also financed a PhD student through the research school in Health Science and Sofia Berglundh started as a PhD student 1 September".
What is the next step in your research?
"We are already underway collecting data for the qualitative study to figure out the hindering and enabling factors to use contraception. This will be used in study 2 that will start in 2022. Right now we are recruiting maternal health clinics in the regions of Stockholm and Jönköping for the randomized study. The clinics have shown great interest to participate!"