Michael Wells

My main research interests are in interventions, quality improvements, and implementation research, with social and family policy outcomes.
My research focuses on the Swedish reproductive and child health fields and the support they provide to parents. I have two primary lines of research:

1) evaluate the father/non-birthing parent visit at the Swedish child health centers, especially in relation to coparenting, infant bonding, and paternal depression. We have data at baseline (0-24 months), as well as 6- and 18-month follow-ups, including asking about mental health referrals and support, divorce rates, and parental leave usage. 

2) implement and spread MIDWIZE in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda. MIDWIZE is a labour care project focusing on increasing intact perineums, improving infant APGAR scores and breastfeeding rates, and decreasing infant neonatal intensive care, resucitation, and mortality rates via utilizing i) intrapartum support, ii) dynamic birth positions, iii) perineal protection measures, iv) delayed cord clamping, and v) immediate skin-to-skin contact. Quality improvement methods are employed to work through local barriers to providing these proven clinical tasks. 

B.A. History, University of Indianapolis, USA
M.S. Human Development and Family Science, Ohio State University, USA
Ph.D. Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Sweden

*Current Research Projects*
1) Longitudinally evaluate the implementation and outcomes derived from a
co-created community-based clinical intervention program at the Swedish child
health centers to implement a series of new clinical visits for fathers
2) Longitudinally assess expectant parents’ alcohol, drug, and smoking
habits and where they seek support for substance abuse during and after
pregnancy
3) Evaluate the outcomes of four sub-Saharan African countries’
implementation of quality improvements in healthcare settings through
received capacity building techniques
4) Investigate the feasibility of a peer-to-peer support program for new
fathers
5) Develop and test a new fear of birth program for expectant parents
6) Assess the development of a school-based intervention to promote
participation in children with Development Coordination Disorder

I have taught at the university level for over a decade. I have 
taught synchronous and asynchronous classes, in person and online, as well
as hybrid classes in the USA and Sweden. I have taught in multiple 
departments including Women's and Children's Health, Global Public Health,
Psychology, Sociology, Family Science, and Education.
I am currently the course coordinator/lecturer for the course: Implementing
Strategies for Quality Improvement in Healthcare Settings (taught to clinicians), as well as teaching master level courses to midwifery students, including 1) Research Methods and 2) the Thesis Course.
I also teach PhD-level courses including: 1) Introduction to Mixed Methods in Care Sciences, 2) Methods for Thematic and Qualitative Content Analysis, and 3) Polished Presentations: A Rehearsal-Based Approach