`Passing time': a qualitative study of health promotion practices in an antenatal clinic waiting room

Abstract

The authors explore the information needs and preferences of pregnant women through a study of health-promotion strategies employed in an antenatal clinic waiting room at a tertiary hospital in the Northern suburbs of Adelaide, Australia. Conducted as part of a wider health communication project (‘Health-e Baby’), the chapter provides a detailed assessment of how these spaces are used by staff to convey health messages related to pregnancy and how pregnant women interacted with these materials whilst waiting for their appointments. Rodger, Skuse and Wilmore’s observational data is complimented by data drawn from semi-structured interviews (n = 35), which enables them to explore how waiting rooms can be used to maximise the potential efficacy of health promotion interventions at these important sites of interaction with antenatal patients. Preliminary insights from this chapter challenge assumptions about the efficacy of current uses of antenatal waiting rooms as a setting for the communication of health information.