Search Results: MCHLine

Annotation: This collection of online tools is intended to accelerate the work of communities, coalitions, and funders in strategically assessing their efforts, identifying opportunities, and committing to actions aimed at assuring conditions that lead to optimal births for all people. The tools include: (1) The Birth Equity Action Map, which describes actions needed by specific birth equity partners to improve birth and racial equity; (2) the Birth Equity Ecosystem Map, which visualizes the factors and conditions needed to achieve equitable outcomes; and (3) the Birth Equity Iceberg, which offers insights on the barriers that perpetuate inequitable outcomes and limit efforts to advance birth equity.

Contact: Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, 1825 K Street, N.W., Suite 250, Washington, DC 20006-1202, Telephone: (202) 775-0436 Fax: (202) 478-5120 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.amchp.org

• Link

Keywords: Barriers, Childbirth, Health care systems, Health equity, Racism

Annotation: This report highlights the common threads between housing and reproductive justice, emphasizing the importance of policy solutions that de-silo maternal health and address social and structural barriers. The first section describes how structural racism and structural disinvestment—including residential segregation, poor housing access and conditions, residential instability and gentrification, and the carceral apparatus—contribute to deleterious health outcomes among Black women and birthing people. The second section outlines how Black pregnancy is policed across the reproductive lifespan through forced evictions and displacement during pregnancy, double jeopardy of racism and discrimination in health care settings, and threatened Child Protective Services (CPS) involvement after birth. The third section highlights the status of housing reform in Washington, D.C. and potential opportunities for change. The report ends with Mamatoto Village’s housing justice framework, a summary of federal housing programs and policies, and links to annotated bibliography of key articles.

Contact: Georgetown University , Health Justice Alliance , 600 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001, Telephone: (202) 662-9000 Web Site: https://www.law.georgetown.edu/health-justice-alliance/

• Link

Keywords: Barriers, Blacks, Civil rights, Federal programs , Housing, Housing programs, Maternal health, Policy development, Pregnancy, Racism, Social factors, Underserved communities

Annotation: This public health spotlight describes state and local legislative trends to incorporate health equity and antiracism policies; collect health disparity data; and improve rural healthcare access.

Contact: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, 2231 Crystal Drive, Suite 450, Arlington, VA 22202, Telephone: (202) 371-9090 Fax: (571) 527-3189 Web Site: http://www.astho.org

• PDF

Keywords: Health equity, Policy development, Public health, Racial factors, Racism, State legislation, Trends

Annotation: This report presents information about the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and offers information about race and culture as they relate to the guidelines. Topic include a history of the guidelines, the guidelines' purpose, the development process, addressing claims of racism within the guidelines, cultural awareness within the guidelines, and adapting recommendations within the guidelines to various cultural contexts.

Contact: Association of State Public Health Nutritionists, P.O. Box 37094, Tucscon, AZ 85740-7094, Telephone: (814) 255-2829 Secondary Telephone: Fax: Web Site: http://www.asphn.org Available from the website.

• Link

Keywords: Cultural factors, Guidelines, Nutrition, Racial factors, Racism

Annotation: This is a systematic review of risk factors associated with maternal morbidity and mortality in the U.S. during the prenatal and postpartum periods, including social and structural determinants of health. The focus is primarily on research that examines factors to which pregnant and birthing people have been exposed and that may underlie poor perinatal health outcomes. The U.S. Office of Disease Prevention requested the review to inform the November 29 – December 1, 2022 Pathways to Prevention workshop cosponsored by the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Research on Women’s Health, the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities, and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Contact: U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, Telephone: (301) 427-1364 Web Site: http://www.ahrq.gov

• Link
• Executive Summary

Keywords: Evidence based medicine, Literature reviews, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Racism, Risk factors, Social determinants of health

Annotation: This road map outlines how data can be used as a tool to help end structural racism. It consists of a collection of guiding questions, tools, and resources to assist programs in taking concrete steps to better identify, understand, and act to address racial inequities. The road map contains seven sections: (1) Looking at health issues with a focus on the impact of racism; (2) Determining if a program is ready to use data to address racism; (3) Understanding what the data says about differences in health outcomes by race and ethnicity; (4) Using other sources of data to uncover causes of the differences; (5) Making plans to act on differences that are unjust or avoidable; (6) Presenting data in ways that help people make sense of the numbers; and (7) Moving from data to action.

Contact: Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Office of Health Equity, 250 Washington St., 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02108, Telephone: (617) 624-5590 Web Site: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/office-of-health-equity

• Link
• Overview

Keywords: Data, Data analysis, Data collection, Data sources, Ethnic factors, Health equity, Outcome evaluation, Racial factors, Racism, State initiatives

Annotation: This report describes the various socioeconomic factors and discriminatory practices that contribute to the disproportionate rate of housing evictions among black women. It discusses the health, economic, social, and financial consequences of home displacement and calls on states to respond to the eviction crisis by enacting policies that account for demographic disparities and decrease eviction filing, increase tenant protections and rights during the process, and keep families and individuals out of cycles of poverty and hardship.

Contact: Center for American Progress, 1333 H Street, N.W., 10th Floor, Washington, DC 20005, Telephone: (202) 682-1611 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.americanprogress.org

• Link

Keywords: Blacks, Discrimination, Homelessness, Housing, Public policy, Racism, Socioeconomic factors, Women

Annotation: This issue brief highlights Action 2.7 from the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis, focusing on addressing systemic discrimination in healthcare through guidance on prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, disability, and sex. The document examines how structural racism, interpersonal racism, and discrimination impact maternal health outcomes, with particular attention to the lasting effects of historical policies like redlining and current disparities in treatment and health outcomes across different populations. It provides detailed data on mistreatment during maternity care, highlights the intersectionality of discrimination, and outlines specific state-level innovations and evidence-based strategies being implemented to combat discrimination in maternal healthcare settings, including cultural competency training programs and equity-focused quality improvement initiatives.

Contact: Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC Web Site: https://maternalhealthlearning.org/

• Link

Keywords: Age factors, Cultural competence, Ethnic factors, Health equity, Maternal health, Model programs, Racial factors, Racism, Social discrimination, Sociocultural factors, State initiatives, Training

Annotation: In this podcast episode, host Christie Allen and Dr. Gillispie-Bell address the common myths surrounding equity and improving quality of care within the healthcare system. They discuss whether clinicians are inherently racist and the complex interplay between individual intentions, systemic biases, and how equity and quality are inherently intertwined. emphasizing that trust and relationship-building are pivotal for achieving positive patient outcomes. Dr. Gillispie-Bell and Christie also challenge the notion of blaming patients for non-compliance with care, and emphasize that the onus is on the healthcare system to provide accessible and patient-centered care. They also tackle the misconception that socioeconomic status alone can explain maternal health disparities, and highlight the importance of acknowledging and dismantling systemic biases. This episode is part of the AIM for Better Birth series of podcasts that dive deeper into the rising severe maternal morbidity and maternal mortality rates in the United States through a data-driven, quality improvement lens.

Contact: Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health, 409 12th Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20024, E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: https://saferbirth.org/

• Link
• Series Link

Keywords: Health care systems, Health equity, Implicit bias, Maternal health, Physician patient relations, Racism

Annotation: In this podcast episode, host Christie Allen and Dr. Gillispie-Bell talk about the critical role that measurement and disaggregated data play in understanding and addressing disparities in maternal care. They discuss the challenges and importance of collecting accurate race and ethnicity data, revealing how it unveils stark disparities in outcomes and care, and explore the systemic biases ingrained in the medical field, such as the historical portrayal of race as a biological risk factor. They discuss how these biases impact care delivery, perpetuating unfounded myths about pain tolerance, skin thickness, and more. This episode is part of the AIM for Safer Birth series of podcasts that dive deeper into the rising severe maternal morbidity and maternal mortality rates in the United States through a data-driven, quality improvement lens.

Contact: Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health, 409 12th Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20024, E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: https://saferbirth.org/

• Link
• Series Link

Keywords: Data, Data collection, Health care disparities, Health equity, Implicit bias, Maternal health, Racial factors, Racism, ethnic factors

Annotation: This brief provides an overview of key findings from Oral Health in America: Advances and Challenges that focus on opportunities to effect policy change to help achieve oral health equity and racial justice. Topics include the relationship between oral health, social inequities, and structural racism; progress toward reducing oral disease; policy changes to help improve the oral health care system and advance health equity; and strategies to improve the oral health of Americans.

Contact: Community Catalyst, Dental Access Project, 30 Winter Street, 10th Floor, Boston, MA 02108, Telephone: (617) 338-6035 Fax: (617) 451-5838 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: https://communitycatalyst.org/work/projects/dental-access-project/ Available from the website.

• PDF

Keywords: Health care disparities, Health care systems, Health equity, Oral health, Public policy, Racism

Annotation: This panel discussion on birth justice was hosted by the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) during Black Maternal Health Week and features Aftershock filmmakers Paula Eiselt and Tonya Lewis and maternal health advocate Shawnee Benton-Gibson. Health equity and antiracism in maternal and infant health are the focus on the discussion.

Contact: Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, 1825 K Street, N.W., Suite 250, Washington, DC 20006-1202, Telephone: (202) 775-0436 Fax: (202) 478-5120 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.amchp.org

• Link

Keywords: Blacks, Community role, Families, Fatherhood, Health equity, Maternal health, Maternal morbidity, Minority health, Racism, Social support, maternal mortality

Annotation: This resource summarized the health equity framework developed by the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health Community Care Initiative (AIM CCI) and provides access to a racial equity series (RELS) comprised of seven web based learning modules. Each module contains topic information, activities, and a short, scored quiz designed to build upon the former module. Topics include acknowledgement and acceptance of racism, institutional transformation, and personal/systemic change. A fact sheet about the modules, answers to frequently asked questions, and a user's leadership manual can be downloaded from the website.

Contact: Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health, 409 12th Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20024, E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: https://saferbirth.org/

• Link

Keywords: Educational materials, Health equity, Racial factors, Racism, Training materials

Annotation: This report discusses how the Departments of Health of three states (Alaska, New Mexico, and Montana) are strengthening access to risk-appropriate care for American Indian / Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. Initiatives and recommendations include increased data collection, promoting people-centered and culturally approtriate care, and collaborating with community organizations.

Contact: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, 2231 Crystal Drive, Suite 450, Arlington, VA 22202, Telephone: (202) 371-9090 Fax: (571) 527-3189 Web Site: http://www.astho.org

• Link

Keywords: Alaska natives, High risk pregnancy, Native Americans, Perinatal care, Racism, Reproductive health, Risk appropriate care, Social bias

Annotation: This report presents findings from a qualitative exploratory research study on Black women's and birth workers' experiences of disrespect and abuse in maternity care in Atlanta. The study, conducted in 2018 by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance and the Averting Maternal Death and Disability program at Columbia University, examines how racism and discrimination impact Black women's childbirth experiences. Through focus group discussions with Black women and birth support workers, the research identifies five key themes of mistreatment: harsh language, ineffective communication, lack of informed consent and confidentiality, dismissal of concerns and pain, and racism and discrimination. Women reported feeling devalued, dismissed, and experiencing heightened anxiety about potential negative outcomes. The report emphasizes that these experiences stem from systemic racism in healthcare and calls for recognition of racism as a modifiable risk factor for poor maternal health outcomes for Black women, who are 2.5 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.

Contact: Black Mamas Matter Alliance , PO Box 571894 ·, Atlanta, GA 30357, E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: https://blackmamasmatter.org/

• PDF

Keywords: Blacks, Childbirth, Focus groups, Maternal health, Qualitative evaluation, Racial discrimination, Racism

Annotation: This annual report addresses maternal morbidity and mortality in the United States and presents five big ideas on how to tackle the problem. The recommendations are based on white papers prepared by subject matter experts that provide background information and data on maternal mortality in the U.S.; analyze the current maternity care system; explore racism and racial inequity in maternal and health outcomes; and assess the role of Medicaid in understanding and potentially helping to solve the problem. The five big ideas are as follows: (1) Make a national commitment to improvement; (2) Build and support community care models; (3) Redesign insurance around women’s needs; (4) Tackle the racism that undermines women-centered maternity care; and 5) Invest in research, data, and analysis.

Contact: Aspen Institute, 2300 N Street, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20037, Telephone: (202) 736-5800 Fax: (202) 467-0790 Web Site: http://www.aspeninstitute.org Available from the website.

• PDF

Keywords: Community health, Health insurance, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Prevention, Public health, Racial factors, Racism, Women', s health

Annotation: This publication explores the link between interpersonal and community-level racism and its impact on preterm birth, lower gestational age at birth, and infant low birth weight. Rather than focusing on individual behaviors that put pregnant people of color at higher risk of poor health outcomes, the authors describe how the toxic stress of racism affects physiological processes. One in a ten-part series of publications titled Saving the Lives of Mothers and Babies produced jointly by the National Partnership for Women and Families and the National Birth Equity Collaborative.

Contact: National Partnership for Women and Families, Childbirth Connection , 1725 Eye Street, Suite 950 , Washington, DC 20006, E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: https://nationalpartnership.org/childbirthconnection/

• PDF

Keywords: Blacks, Infant health, Low birthweight, Maternal health, Pregnancy, Preterm birth, Racial factors, Racism, Risk factors

Annotation: This is a joint declaration of organizational commitment to antiracism and racial equality by the following five organizations: The Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP), Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), CityMatCH, National Healthy Start Association (NHSA), and the National Institute for Children's Health Quality (NICHQ). The statement includes background information,foundation principles, and a joint commitment to examine internal organizational processes, promote and influence external work, and develop and release communication in support of antiracism and racial equity.

Contact: Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, 1825 K Street, N.W., Suite 250, Washington, DC 20006-1202, Telephone: (202) 775-0436 Fax: (202) 478-5120 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.amchp.org

• PDF

Keywords: Communication , Health equity, Health promotion, Racial factors, Racism

Annotation: This statement presents the position of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) on the importance of mitigating the causes and outcomes of structural racism and bias in maternity care settings. It includes background information on racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health and a call to action for perinatal nurses who play a crucial role during pregnancy, labor, birth, and the postpartum period. Policy recommendations are included.

Contact: Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, 1800 M Street, NW, Suite 740S, Washington, DC 20036, Telephone: (202) 261-2400 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: https://www.awhonn.org/

• Link

Keywords: Health care disparities, Maternal health, Nurses, Perinatal care, Policy, Racism, Social bias

Annotation: This infographic illustrates how children's stress response systems react to systemic racism and everyday discrimination to negatively affect their learning, behavior and physical and mental health.

Contact: Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, 50 Church Street, Fourth Floor, Cambridge, MA 02138, Telephone: (617) 496-0578 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.developingchild.harvard.edu Available from the website.

• Link

Keywords: Brain, Child development, Racial factors, Racism, Social factors