My name is Ashley Gage and I am currently working on my research project in completion of my PhD in Social Work. My project is focused on pregnancy intentions of women with CF and is titled, “Pregnancy Intentions Among Women with CF: A Theory of Planned Behavior Model”.
I have worked in a CF clinic as a social work intern and as a substitute social worker for the team where I immediately loved working with the CF community. As a researcher, I saw the need for more evidence to inform how clinicians treat adults with CF. The growth of the adult population has happened so quickly that research hasn’t had a chance to catch up! There is a very little social research regarding CF, especially on the social aspect of pregnancy among women with CF.
As new advancements in health research arise, so does the need for social research. I am hoping that my research study can contribute to this very important area. While attending the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference last Autumn, I received a an abundance of great feedback from CF clinicians who agreed that they need more research about pregnancy among women with CF.
My aim for this research is to find out more about what factors influence women with CF to choose pregnancy. I hope that by finding out more information we can better inform clinicians who work with the CF population, influence what information is given to women with CF when they reach childbearing years, and give women with CF a voice about what they think on the topic.
I completed a series of interviews in the Summer of 2012, which, along with a theoretical model, informed the development of my current questionnaire. I am searching for women with CF, who speak English, who do not already have children, and are over the age of 18 to report their responses to my questionnaire. As an incentive to participate, I will purchase two Amazon gift cards worth $25 each to randomly award to two respondents. In December, I will draw two email addresses and email the winners.
If you meet the above criteria and would like to help with this research, please click HERE to take part in the survey
Ashley Gage, MSW