Women's Decision-Making And Factors Affecting Their Choice Of ...

The theory of reasoned action suggests that when making decisions,
people show rationality of choice and systematic use of available information
(Ajzen and Fishbein 1980; Fishbein and Ajzen 1975). The theory proposes that
an individual's attitude towards a behaviour (decision) is related to their belief
that the behaviour will lead to a certain outcome, and the importance they place on
the outcome (Kronenfeld and Glik 1991). The social environment and the
person's immediate reference group are thought to influence what choices the
individual makes. The theory of reasoned action could apply in childbirth where
women have access to information about what is available to them and they
consciously make their decisions based on what outcomes they aspire to and what
they know about the available options. For example, if women are told that they
could have a home birth or a hospital birth, and what facilities are available with
the two options, they could then match their needs with the options. For instance,
they could be told that at home, they could have their families with them, but they
could not have epidural analgesia or electronic foetal monitoring. On the other
hand, they could be told that in the hospital, they have all the pain medications
and emergency equipment, but they might experience shortage of staff if it is too
busy, and there is a limit to how many family members could stay with them in
the ward.
In an effort to explain women's decision-making about the place of birth,
the thesis reports two studies. The first is a systematic literature review of
women's views of factors affecting their choice of place of delivery, and the
second is a primary qualitative study using in-depth interviews involving women
planning a hospital birth, and those planning a home birth to determine from them
factors that influence their choice. The report starts with the first study, which is
reported in the next chapter.
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