Outcomes following a behaviour change intervention within hospitals to improve birth registrations and hospital utilisation for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander infants

The primary objective was to determine whether a behaviour change intervention delivered to hospital staff would (1) improve the proportion of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (Aboriginal) babies being registered and (2) reduce hospital admissions and emergency presentations for babies <6 months old. The secondary objective was an observational analysis to determine factors that might influence the proportion of registered Aboriginal births in Western Australia.

Citation:
McAuley K, Strobel NA, Christensen D, Edmond KM, Jacoby P, McAullay D. Outcomes following a behaviour change intervention within hospitals to improve birth registrations and hospital utilisation for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander infants: a quasi-experimental and cohort study. BMJ Open. 2025;15(10).

Keywords:
Community child health; Epidemiology; Health Services; Hospitalization

Abstract:
The primary objective was to determine whether a behaviour change intervention delivered to hospital staff would (1) improve the proportion of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (Aboriginal) babies being registered and (2) reduce hospital admissions and emergency presentations for babies <6 months old. The secondary objective was an observational analysis to determine factors that might influence the proportion of registered Aboriginal births in Western Australia.