EDUCATION AS A DETERMINANT OF POLITICAL PARTICIPATION OF NURSE-MIDWIVES.
Contributors: Florida State University.
Published: 1989
Number of pages: 239
Subjects: Political Science, General.; Health Sciences, Nursing.; Women's Studies.
Description: This study examined political participation among nurse-midwives and investigated relationships which influence electoral, non-electoral, and unconventional political activities. Of particular interest was the effect of education, a key variable in political participation studies. The study also examined the professional advancement of nurse-midwifery in both an historical and societal context.

The evolution of nurse-midwifery has been closely linked with economic, social and political events. Political participation is viewed by nurse-midwifery leaders as a mechanism for involvement in decision making relative to nurse-midwifery's professional identity and to health care of women and infants.

A mail survey was conducted using a random sample from the membership of the American College of Nurse-Midwives which yielded 364 respondents and a 59.7% response rate. The questionnaire used was modified from that of Hanley (1983) which incorporated items from studies reported by Verba and Nie (1972), Milbrath (1976), and the University of Michigan's Center for Political Studies (1976, 1979).

Factor analysis identified five modes of political participation in this sample. These are community/contacting activities, protest, voting, campaigning and petitioning. The relationships and effects of the predictor variables on each of these modes were analyzed using bivariate cross-tabulation and correlation techniques, and multivariate regression analysis.

Findings indicated that the majority of nurse-midwives have increased their involvement in professional activities since becoming a nurse-midwife and support the political activism of the American College of Nurse-Midwives. Individually, voting is the predominant political activity among this group who are inclined to be pro feminist and who believe that people like themselves can influence governmental activities. Education was not identified as a predictor of political participation. Support of women's issues, sense of political efficacy, and feminist attitudes were positive predictors of political participation. Thus, this sample of nurse-midwives deviated from the standard models of political participation developed in the general population.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-04, Section: A, page: 1076.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY, 1989.

School code: 0071.