Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42278752›Full record

ReviewHealthcare (Basel, Switzerland)2026

Determinants of Midwifery Workforce Disaster Preparedness and Its Impact on the Continuity of Maternal Care: A Systematic Review.

Eirini Orovou, Alina Liepinaitienė, Chrysoula Taskou, Kleanthi Gourounti, Dimitrios Papoutsis, Antigoni Sarantaki

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Eirini OrovouMidwifery Department, University of Western Macedonia, 50200 Kozani, Greece.ORCID 0000-0001-7458-7500
Alina LiepinaitienėDepartment of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, 44248 Kaunas, Lithuania.ORCID 0000-0003-3268-8797
Chrysoula TaskouMidwifery Department, International Hellenic University, 57400 Thessaloniki, Greece.ORCID 0000-0002-6180-9538
Kleanthi GourountiMidwifery Department, Faculty of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece.
Dimitrios PapoutsisMidwifery Department, University of Western Macedonia, 50200 Kozani, Greece.
Antigoni SarantakiMidwifery Department, Faculty of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0003-3316-8566

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

objectivesNatural disasters and climate-related emergencies increasingly disrupt maternal healthcare systems, placing growing demands on the midwifery workforce. While midwives play a critical role in maintaining continuity of care, evidence on how workforce preparedness influences service delivery remains limited. This systematic review aimed to synthesize evidence on determinants of midwives' disaster preparedness and examine their association with continuity of maternal care.

methodsA systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches were performed in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception to March 2026. Eligible studies examined midwives or midwifery-led care in natural disasters or climate-related emergencies. Data were extracted independently by two reviewers, and methodological quality appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Due to substantial methodological and clinical heterogeneity across study designs, populations, and outcomes, a meta-analysis was not feasible and findings were synthesized narratively.

resultsNine studies met the inclusion criteria, with the evidence base consisting predominantly of qualitative and cross-sectional studies, alongside one cohort study. Evidence was mainly derived from earthquake-affected settings. Preparedness was influenced by individual, professional, organizational, and psychosocial factors. Insufficient disaster-specific training, role ambiguity, and limited institutional preparedness were linked to reduced response capacity and disruptions across antenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal care.

conclusionsThe evidence suggests that midwifery workforce preparedness is an important determinant of continuity of maternal care during disasters and climate-related emergencies. Strengthening disaster education, integrating midwives into emergency planning, and enhancing organizational support are essential to improve health system resilience. Further longitudinal and intervention-based research across diverse disaster contexts is needed to strengthen the evidence base. However, the findings should be interpreted cautiously due to the limited number and heterogeneity of included studies.

Indexed as

climate resiliencedisaster preparednesshealth equityintegrated carematernal-child healthmidwifery workforce

Identifiers

PMID42278752
PMCPMC13256163

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.