Poster can be found in location 98.

Using a patient-led, peer-to-peer approach, this study aimed to understand patient and family member experiences and perspectives of maternal morbidity in Canada from a multicultural perspective. The Patient and Community Engagement Research (PaCER) program is an experiential-based learning program offered through the University of Calgary, Canada. Seven PaCER student researchers representing multiple cultural and professional backgrounds, as well as lived experiences of pregnancy, co-designed and carried out this study. Focus groups and individual semi-structured interviews were used to understand the perspectives and experiences of diverse patient and community members who self-identified as having experienced an adverse event(s) in pregnancy. Data was collectively and iteratively analyzed using thematic and narrative analysis. Five key themes emerged and were defined as: (1) access to appropriate, timely, coordinated care and follow up; (2) lack of transparent communication from healthcare providers and the ways power differentials and need for urgent action affected shared decision making; (3) cultural differences between participants’ traditions, and Canadian pregnancy care practices; (4) mental health impacts as participants struggled to access diagnosis for conditions that “didn’t feel right” and to understand “why” adverse events happened (5) supports and resources participants felt were missing that would have been most helpful to managing the morbidity. Our team also identified five person-centred, actionable recommendations for dissemination and implementation of study findings. This peer-to-peer study demonstrates innovative and inclusive engagement approaches to effectively integrate essential, often missing patient and community voices into health research evidence. Our results can inform more patient-focused future maternal morbidity research priorities, as well as offer unique patient and community insights into designing best practices for more person-centred maternal health policy and clinical care.