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

Authors: AYERS, BRITNI - University Arkansas For Medical Sciences (UAMS); BOGULSKI, CARI - University Arkansas For Medical Sciences (UAMS); HAGGARD-DUFF, LAUREN - University Arkansas For Medical Sciences (UAMS); ANDRES, ALINE - University Arkansas For Medical Sciences (UAMS); BORSHEIM, ELISBET - University Arkansas For Medical Sciences (UAMS); MCELFISH, PEARL - University Arkansas For Medical Sciences (UAMS)

Submitted to: BMJ Open
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/14/2020
Publication Date: 9/29/2020
Citation: Ayers, B.L., Bogulski, C.A., Haggard-Duff, L., Andres, A., Borsheim, E., McElfish, P.A. 2020. 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. 10:e037219. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-037219.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-037219

Interpretive Summary: Arkansas has the largest population of Marshallese Pacific Islanders, residing in the continental United States. Despite the high rates of 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 United States. This paper describes the protocol of a mixed-methods concurrent triangulation longitudinal study designed to understand gestational weight gain in Marshallese women. The research team will disseminate results to study participants, research stakeholders, 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.

Technical Abstract: Arkansas has the largest population of Marshallese Pacific Islanders, residing in the continental United States. The Marshallese have higher rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, pre-term births, low birth weight 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 United States. 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 post-partum data abstraction. Quantitative and qualitative data will be analyzed separately and then synthesized during the interpretation phase. The study used a community engaged approached and approved by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Institutional Review Board (#228023). The research team will disseminate results to study participants, research stakeholders (clinics, faith-based organizations, and community-based organization), 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.