Student Researcher: 

Kendra Usunier, PhD (Candidate), School of Rehabilitation Science, kendra.usunier@usask.ca 

Researcher(s): 

Kate Crockett, Assistant Professor, School of Rehabilitation Science, University of Saskatchewan, katie.crockett@usask.ca 

Marwa Farag, Associate Professor, School of Economics, Administration and Public Policy, Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, marwa.farag@dohaninstitute.edu.qu 

Sub-investigator Clinicians: 

Christine Epp, Women’s Wellness Physiotherapy 

Anne-Marie Graham, Venture Rehabilitation Sciences Group 

Research Coordinators: 

Atiya Abdul Karim, School of Rehabilitation Science, University of Saskatchewan 

Laura Lewis, School of Rehabilitation Science, University of Saskatchewan 

Rebecca Sawatsky, School of Rehabilitation Science, University of Saskatchewan 

Principal Investigator/Supervisor: 

Brenna Bath, Professor, School of Rehabilitation Science, University of Saskatchewan, 306-966- 6573, brenna.bath@usask.ca 

Maternal healthcare is complex and multifaceted. Persistent and problematic postpartum low back and pelvic pain are substantial, yet under recognized problems among Canadian mothers. Further, low back and pelvic girdle pain have been significantly associated with challenges including urinary incontinence and depression, which ultimately influence the ability of Canadian mothers to care for their children. Healthcare providers, such as nurses and physicians, are focused on providing essential information for both mother and baby in the early postpartum stages. Physiotherapy care has much to offer to improve overall maternal wellness and has specifically shown to restore normal back and pelvic motor function while reducing the physiological and psychological impact of pregnancy-related low back and pelvic girdle pain. While physiotherapy care can positively impact mental and social well-being of mothers in the postpartum recovery period, access to maternal physiotherapy services in Saskatchewan is limited.

The goal of this project is to understand current gaps and opportunities for maternal health services, specifically physiotherapy care, among women with postpartum low back and pelvic girdle pain and dysfunction in Saskatchewan. Though surveys, interviews and active engagement with Saskatchewan mothers and health care providers, this project aims to understand current gaps and opportunities in maternal health services with a specific focus on identifying ways to enhance access to maternal physiotherapy care. These findings will lead to improved clinical outcomes and quality of life for postpartum women across Saskatchewan. More specifically, this research will also inform opportunities for improved maternal healthcare in Saskatchewan, specifically for the highly prevalent and burdensome health conditions of low back and pelvic girdle pain and dysfunction.

The goal of this multi-phase research project is to understand current gaps and opportunities for maternal health services, specifically physiotherapy care, among women with postpartum low back and pelvic girdle pain in Saskatchewan. The World Café event is the final phase of this project, offered through an online video conferencing platform.  

This event is designed to share research findings, followed by opportunity to share experiences, discuss challenges, and explore ideas to help improve access to physiotherapy care for postpartum mothers in Saskatchewan. 

Procedures:

If you choose to participate, you will join a 1.5-2 hour online World Café discussion session on Zoom. The session will include: 

• A brief presentation summarizing findings from Phases 1 and 2 

• Small group breakout discussions focused on access to physiotherapy services 

• Sharing ideas, reflections, and recommendations with other stakeholders 

A trained research team member will facilitate each breakout room and will take notes on key points, ideas, and suggestions shared during the discussion.  

For more information about our research project, please check out our website or email back.research@usask.ca