Healthcare professionals' perceptions of the acceptability of the PREVENT-PE trial: A mixed-methods survey and interview study

Leung, Angel, Goadsby, James, Sheen, Kayleigh S, Silverio, Sergio A ORCID: 0000-0001-7177-3471, Magee, Laura A, von Dadelszen, Peter, Syngelaki, Argyro and Nicolaides, Kypros H (2026) Healthcare professionals' perceptions of the acceptability of the PREVENT-PE trial: A mixed-methods survey and interview study ACTA OBSTETRICIA ET GYNECOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA. ISSN 0001-6349, 1600-0412

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Abstract

Introduction: There is a lack of published data on how healthcare professionals perceive the acceptability of third-trimester risk screening in pregnancy. The PREVENT-PE trial [ISRCTN41632964] demonstrated that a personalized approach to term pre-eclampsia risk assessment to inform risk-stratified timed birth at term reduced the incidence of term PE by 30%, without increasing Cesarean birth or neonatal morbidity. We aimed to evaluate the acceptability of the PREVENT-PE trial among healthcare professionals. Material and Methods: Staff were invited to an online survey comprising validated metrics of acceptability, which were analyzed descriptively. Also, the staff were invited to one-to-one interviews to probe the acceptability of the trial in more depth. Using template analysis, responses were mapped onto the following domains of acceptability: Sense-making (Intervention Coherence), Commitment (Affective Attitude), Change (Burden), Communication (Ethicality), Motivation (Opportunity Costs), Action (Self-Efficacy), and Evaluation (Perceived Effectiveness). Results: There were 65 completed surveys, whilst 19 healthcare professionals participated in interviews. Forty-one staff participants were from King's College Hospital, and twenty-one staff participants were from Medway Maritime Hospital, in line with the recruitment of participants to the trial. Approximately 29% of staff were of non-White ethnicity. Most staff were doctors or midwives, in similar proportions. One-third of staff participants had no prior involvement in clinical trials. Acceptability was endorsed by the majority of survey respondents (69.2%), as “very acceptable” (44.6%) or “somewhat acceptable” (24.6%). Interview findings endorsed acceptability from most staff toward participating in an evidence-based trial such as PREVENT-PE. Despite some concerns about implementation burden, system-level readiness, and counseling high-risk participants, the staff supported integrating such screening into routine maternity care if effectiveness is confirmed. Conclusions: The PREVENT-PE trial had a high level of acceptability among healthcare professionals. Staff view risk screening in the third trimester of pregnancy as acceptable, with potential to positively impact patient outcomes.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	healthcare professionals, pre-eclampsia acceptability, staff surveys, trial evaluation
Divisions:	Faculty of Health & Life Sciences Faculty of Health & Life Sciences > Inst. Population Health Faculty of Health & Life Sciences > Inst. Population Health > Psychology Faculty of Health & Life Sciences > Inst. Population Health > Inst. Population Health (T&R Staff)
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	10 Jun 2026 12:20
Last Modified:	13 Jun 2026 03:28
DOI:	10.1111/aogs.70249
Related Websites:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3198873
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