IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i20p10817-d656584.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

“My 9 to 5 Job Is Birth Work”: A Case Study of Two Compensation Approaches for Community Doula Care

Author

Listed:
  • Anu Manchikanti Gomez

    (Sexual Health and Reproductive Equity Program, School of Social Welfare, University of California, 110 Haviland Hall, MC 7400, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA)

  • Stephanie Arteaga

    (Sexual Health and Reproductive Equity Program, School of Social Welfare, University of California, 110 Haviland Hall, MC 7400, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA)

  • Jennet Arcara

    (Sexual Health and Reproductive Equity Program, School of Social Welfare, University of California, 110 Haviland Hall, MC 7400, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA)

  • Alli Cuentos

    (SisterWeb San Francisco Community Doula Network, 1912 Keith Street, San Francisco, CA 94124, USA)

  • Marna Armstead

    (SisterWeb San Francisco Community Doula Network, 1912 Keith Street, San Francisco, CA 94124, USA)

  • Renee Mehra

    (ACTIONS Program, School of Nursing, University of California, 2 Koret Way, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA)

  • Rachel G. Logan

    (Sexual Health and Reproductive Equity Program, School of Social Welfare, University of California, 110 Haviland Hall, MC 7400, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA)

  • Andrea V. Jackson

    (Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, 2356 Sutter Street, J-140, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA)

  • Cassondra J. Marshall

    (School of Public Health, University of California, 2121 Berkeley Way #5302, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA)

Abstract

With the increased policy emphasis on promoting doula care to advance birth equity in the United States, there is a vital need to identify sustainable and equitable approaches for compensation of community doulas, who serve clients experiencing the greatest barriers to optimal pregnancy-related outcomes. This case study explores two different approaches for compensating doulas (contractor versus hourly employment with benefits) utilized by SisterWeb San Francisco Community Doula Network in San Francisco, California. We conducted qualitative interviews with SisterWeb doulas in 2020 and 2021 and organizational leaders in 2020. Overall, leaders and doulas reported that the contractor approach, in which doulas were paid a flat fee per client, did not adequately compensate doulas, who regularly attend trainings and provide additional support for their clients (e.g., referrals to promote housing and food security). Additionally, this approach did not provide doulas with healthcare benefits, which was especially concerning during the COVID-19 pandemic. As hourly, benefited employees, doulas experienced a greater sense of financial security and wellbeing from receiving consistent pay, compensation for all time worked, and benefits such as health insurance and sick leave, allowing some to dedicate themselves to birth work. Our study suggests that efforts to promote community doula care must integrate structural solutions to provide appropriate compensation and benefits to doulas, simultaneously advancing birth equity and equitable labor conditions for community doulas.

Suggested Citation

  • Anu Manchikanti Gomez & Stephanie Arteaga & Jennet Arcara & Alli Cuentos & Marna Armstead & Renee Mehra & Rachel G. Logan & Andrea V. Jackson & Cassondra J. Marshall, 2021. "“My 9 to 5 Job Is Birth Work”: A Case Study of Two Compensation Approaches for Community Doula Care," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-17, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:20:p:10817-:d:656584
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/20/10817/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/20/10817/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kozhimannil, K.B. & Hardeman, R.R. & Attanasio, L.B. & Blauer-Peterson, C. & O'Brien, M., 2013. "Doula care, birth outcomes, and costs among medicaid beneficiaries," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 103(4), pages 113-121.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nicoloro-SantaBarbara, Jennifer & Rosenthal, Lisa & Auerbach, Melissa V. & Kocis, Christina & Busso, Cheyanne & Lobel, Marci, 2017. "Patient-provider communication, maternal anxiety, and self-care in pregnancy," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 133-140.
    2. OjiNjideka Hemphill, Nefertiti & Crooks, Natasha & Zhang, Wenqiong & Fitter, Fareeha & Erbe, Katherine & Rutherford, Julienne N. & Liese, Kylea L. & Pearson, Pamela & Stewart, Karie & Kessee, Nicollet, 2023. "Obstetric experiences of young black mothers: An intersectional perspective," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 317(C).
    3. Yushan Yu & Xiangyang Zhang & Caixia Sun & Huijie Zhou & Qi Zhang & Chun Chen, 2017. "Reducing the rate of cesarean delivery on maternal request through institutional and policy interventions in Wenzhou, China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(11), pages 1-12, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:20:p:10817-:d:656584. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.