Franziska Frank

Interests

Research

Women's Health, Reproductive Health, Health disparities, Homelessness

Teaching

Reproductive Health Qualitative Research Methods

Courses

Scholarly Contributions

Books

• Frank, F., & Gisler, P. (2014). Kreativitätstechniken als Wissenstechniken – Sozialwisschenschaftliche Methoden in der künstlerisch-gestalterischen Forschung. (Creativity techniques – the use of socioscientific methods in Research-in-Art).. Bern University of Arts.

Journals/Publications

• Fleming, V., Frank, F., Meyer, Y., Pehlke-Milde, J. F., Zsindely, P., Thorn-Cole, H., & de Labrusse, C. (2021). Giving birth: a hermeneutic study of the expectations and experiences of healthy primigravid women in Switzerland. PLoS One, 17(2)(e0261902), 1-17. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0261902
• Frank, F. (2018). Dying at Life’s Beginning. Gesundheitswesen, 80(6), 540-544. doi:10.1055/s-0042-116316
• Frank, F. (2017). Decision-making in Swiss home-like childbirth: A grounded theory study. Women and Birth, 30, e272-e280. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2017.05.004
• Frank, F. (2017). Giving birth: Expectations of first time mothers in Switzerland at the mid point of pregnancy. Women and Birth, 30, 443-449. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2017.04.002
• Frank, F., Fleming, V., & Maurer, F. (2017). Sterben am Lebensanfang (Dying at life's beginning). Das Gesundheitswesen. doi:DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-116316.
• Frank, F., Fleming, V., Pehlke-Milde, J., & Maurer, F. (2017). Sterben am Lebensanfang. Gesundheitswesen. doi:10.1055/s-0042-116316
  More info

  Zusammenfassung Ziele: Nach Mitteilung einer mit dem Leben nicht zu vereinbarenden Diagnose des Kindes, werden Eltern mit der Entscheidung konfrontiert, die bereits weit fortgeschrittene Schwangerschaft vorzeitig zu beenden oder das Kind auszutragen, bis es spontan während der Schwangerschaft oder kurz nach der Geburt verstirbt. Diese meistens vollkommen überraschende Situation ist von der Unausweichlickeit des Verlustes geprägt und eng mit ethisch schwierigen Entscheidungen verknüpft. Ein solcher Verlust kann die psychische Gesundheit betroffener Eltern massiv belasten. Studien zeigen, dass bedürfnisorientierte Begleitung die Eltern entlastet, unabhängig von ihrer Entscheidung, die Schwangerschaft frühzeitig zu beenden oder fortzuführen. Ziele der Studie sind, das Unterstützungsangebot in der Schweiz aus Sicht betroffener Eltern und beteiligter Fachpersonen zu beleuchten und Entwicklungsmöglichkeiten der Versorgung aufzuzeigen. Dieser Artikel schildert die auf den Erfahrungen der Eltern basierenden Ergebnisse. Methodik: Interviews wurden mit 32 Müttern und Vätern zwischen Dez. 2012 und März 2014 geführt, verbatim transkribiert und thematisch analysiert. Ergebnisse: Es wurden 6 Themen identifiziert, die sich über den Zeitraum zwischen Diagnose und kurz nach der Geburt erstrecken: „Schock“, „Optionen und Dilemmas“, „Verantwortung übernehmen“, „Immer noch schwanger sein“, „Abschied nehmen“ und „die Zukunft planen“. Die Ergebnisse weisen auf Lücken bezüglich Kontinuität und Qualität der Versorgung hin und offenbaren unterschiedliche Sichtweisen auf die Problematik. Schlussfolgerung: Die Studie liefert wertvolle Einsichten in die Erfahrungswelt und Versorgungsbedürfnisse von Eltern, die während der Schwangerschaft mit einer letalen fötalen Diagnose konfrontiert worden sind. Die Resultate tragen dazu bei, die aktuellen Praktiken von involvierten Fachpersonen zu überdenken und den spezifischen Bedürfnissen der Eltern während Schwangerschaft, Geburt und Wochenbett sowie der Palliativpflege des Kindes anzupassen.
• Frank, F., Labrusse, C. d., Michoud, B., Schirinzi, L., Gogh, S. v., Meyer, Y., & Fleming, V. (2017). Giving birth: Expectations of first time mothers in Switzerland at the mid point of pregnancy. Women and Birth. doi:10.1016/j.wombi.2017.04.002
  More info

  Despite a generally affluent society, the caesarean section rate in Switzerland has steadily climbed in recent years from 22.9% in 1998 to 33.7% in 2014. Speculation by the media has prompted political questions as to the reasons. However, there is no clear evidence as to why the Swiss rate should be so high especially in comparison with neighbouring countries.To describe the emerging expectations of giving birth of healthy primigravid women in the early second semester of pregnancy in four Swiss cantons.Qualitative individual interviews with 58 healthy primigravid women, were audio recorded, transcribed and subjected to thematic analysis. Recruitment took place through public and private hospitals, birth centres, obstetricians and independent midwives. The main ethical issues were informed consent, autonomy, confidentiality and anonymity.The three main themes identified were taking or avoiding decisions, experiencing a continuum of emotions and planning the care.Being pregnant was part of a project women had mapped out for their lives. Only three women in our sample expressed a wish for a caesarean section. One of the strongest emotions was that of fear but in contrast some participants expressed faith that their bodies would cope with the experience.Bringing together the three languages and cultures produced a truly "Swiss" study showing contrasts between a matter of fact approach to pregnancy and the concept of fear. Such a contrast is worthy of further and deeper exploration by a multi-disciplinary research team.
• Frank, F., Fleming, V., Iljuschin, I., & Maurer, F. (2016). Dying at life's beginning: Experiences of parents and health professionals in Switzerland when an ‚in utero’ diagnosis incompatible with life is made.. Midwifery, 34, 23-29.
• Frank, F., Iljuschin, I., & Fleming, V. (2016). Sterben am Lebensanfang – Was erleben Fachpersonen? (Dying at life’s beginning – health professionals perspectives). Hebamme.ch - sage-femme.ch.
• Frank, F., Fleming, V., de Labrusse, C., & Iljuschin, I. (2015). Mourir au debut de la vie.. Les Dossiers de la Maieutique., 2(3), 117-119.
• Frank, F., Meyer, Y., & Schläppy-Muntwyler, F. (2015). La Prise de decision Partagee lors d'accouchements complexes: barrieres et facteurs facilitants. (Shared decision making in childbirth: barriers and facilitators). Les dossiers de la Maieutique, 2(2), 73-83.
• Frank, F., Simat, M., & Fritschy, J. (2007). Heterogeneity of glycinergic and gabaergic interneurons in the granule cell layer of mouse cerebellum. The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 500(1), 71-83. doi:DOI: 10.1002/cne.21142
• Frank, F., Kralic, J. A., Sidler, C., Fritschy, J., Homanics, G. E., & Morrow, A. L. (2006). Compensatory alteration of inhibitory synaptic circuits in cerebellum and thalamus of gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor alpha1 subunit knockout mice.. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 495(4), 408-421. doi:10.1002/cne.20866
• Frank, F., Dimitrula, A., Fritschy, J., Z, E., & K, A. (2005). Epileptogenesis and chronic seizures in a mouse model of temporal lobe epilepsy are associated with distinct EEG patterns and selective neurochemical alterations in the contralateral hippocampus.. Experimental Neurology, 194(1), 76-90. doi:10.1016/j.expneurol.2005.01.029
• Frank, F., Fritschy, J., Sidler, C., Gassmann, M., Kaupmann, K., Bettler, B., & Benke, D. (2004). Independent maturation of the GABA(B) receptor subunits GABA(B1) and GABA(B2) during postnatal development in rodent brain.. The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 477(3), 235-252. doi:10.1002/cne.20188

Presentations

• Frank, F. (2018, October). MAP talk (webinar): Well-being in Chronically Homeless Women: Tucson’s Risks and Opportunities. MAP talk (webinar) at the Eller College of Management. UA, Eller College of Management.
• Frank, F. (2015, June). Dying at life's beginning.. Normal Birth an Labour Conference. Grange-over-Sands, United Kingdom.
• Frank, F. (2014, April). Decision-making process in out of hospital birth setting: Midwives’ and women’s perspective in two language regions in Switzerland. Cost Action Conference: Optimizing Childbirth Across Europe. Brussels, Belgium.
• Frank, F. (2014, April). Entscheidungsprozesse bei Komplikationen während Haus- und Geburtshausgeburten aus der Sicht von Hebammen und gebärenden Frauen’ (Decision-making process in out of hospital birth setting: women’s perspective). guest lecture. University of Zurich.
• Frank, F. (2014, June). Dying at Life’s Beginning.. 30th Triennial Congress of International Confederation of Midwives ICM. Prague, Czech Republic.
• Frank, F. (2014, September). Entscheidungsprozesse bei Komplikationen während Haus- und Geburtshausgeburten aus der Sicht von Frauen (Decision-making process in out of hospital birth setting: women’s perspective). Health Literacy als Basiskompetenz. Kongress Soziologie.. Villach, Austria.

Poster Presentations

• Frank, F. (2019, October 11-13). Health and Social Well-being in Chronically Homeless Women. 11th Biennial Meeting - Stress, Resilience and Character Development across the Lifespan. Portland, OR: Society for the Study of Human Development.
• Frank, F. (2019, October 30 - November 1). Health and Social Well-being in Chronically Homeless Women. 2019 Annual Meeting of the Southwestern Social Science Association. San Diego, CA: Southwestern Social Science Association.
• Frank, F. (2019, October 30 - November 1). Measuring Trauma Among Near-homeless, Substance-using Women. 2019 Annual Meeting of the Southwestern Social Science Association. San Diego, CA: Southwestern Social Science Association.
• Frank, F. (2018, September). Sexual and Reproductive Behavior among Aging, Near-homeless Hispanic and White Substance-using Women. International Conference on Aging in the Americas, https://sites.utexas.edu/caa/2018-2/. Tucson: Social and Behavioral Science College, University of Arizona.
• Frank, F., Korchmaros, J. D., & Andrade, R. A. (2018, September). Sexual and reproductive behavior among aging, near-homeless Hispanic and White substance-using women. Poster presented at The International Conference on Aging in the Americas. Tucson, AZ: The International Conference on Aging in the Americas.
• Frank, F. (2014, June). Women's experiences with decision making when complications arise during out of hospital birth.. 30th Triennial Congress of International Confederation of Midwives ICM.

Creative Productions

• Frank, F. (2017. SIROW Voice letter: SIROW Represents at Aging in the Americas Conference Poster Session.

Others

• Andrade, R. A., & Frank, F. (2018, November). Southern Arizona's Current Risks and Future Opportunities for Chronically Homeless Women. MAP Talk: Southern Arizona's Current Risks and Future Opportunities for Chronically Homeless Women. https://mapazdashboard.arizona.edu/article/map-talk-southern-arizonas-current-risks-and-future-opportunities-chronically-homeless-women, https://youtu.be/ZV15ALYQM80
  More info

  MAP Dashboard Project, University of Arizona Eller Economic and Business Research Center
• Frank, F. (2018, August). Health and Social Well-being in Chronically Homeless Women: Tucson and Southern Arizona’s Current Risks and Future Opportunities.