Search Results: MCHLine

Annotation: This web page features an interview with Dr. Tina Cheng regarding the evolution of the MCH life course health development framework and its application in understanding how early-life experiences and intergenerational factors shape adult health. It emphasizes the framework’s alignment with pediatrics, highlighting the significance of preconception and prenatal influences, social determinants, and the interaction between genetics and the environment. The interview, originally conducted in 2011, highlights the need for longitudinal research and "prospective medicine" to shift the medical focus from individual treatment to population-based prevention and resilience. A modern reflection by Dr. Cheng (2025) emphasizes the ongoing need for advocacy and investment in children’s health to address rising rates of obesity, mental health concerns, and chronic conditions. The site also outlines the role of the Maternal and Child Health Life Course Research Network in fostering multidisciplinary collaboration to address knowledge gaps in measurement and translational research. The interview is one the Life Course History series of six.

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Keywords: Child health, Environmental health, Genetics, Life Course, Maternal health, Models, Preventive health services, Research, Social determinants of health

Annotation: This blog post features an interview with Cheri Pies (conducted in 2011) concerning the translation of the life course health development framework into the practice of state and county health departments. It describes the integration of the life course perspective into maternal and child health program delivery, emphasizing a paradigm shift away from traditional medical models toward addressing the social determinants of health. The document outlines specific local initiatives, such as Building Economic Security Today and the Building Blocks Collaborative, which utilize life course principles to improve financial stability and cross-sector health equity. Substantial discussion is provided regarding the barriers to applying this theoretical framework, including categorical funding streams, and the importance of longitudinal research and evaluation to measure intergenerational health outcomes. The interview is one of six in the Life Course History series.

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Keywords: Barriers, Child health, County health agencies, Health equity, History, Life Course, Maternal health, Models, Preventive health services, Research, Social determinants of health, State health agencies

Annotation: This blog post features an interview with Dr. David Barker regarding the life course health development framework and the fetal origins of chronic disease,. It explores the translation of life course principles into research, specifically examining how prenatal nutrition and birth weight influence the risk of coronary heart disease in later life. The document highlights different life course models of health, contrasting the accumulation of damage with the development of physiological resilience. Recommendations are included for interdisciplinary collaboration and research priorities concerning placental health, cognitive function, and childhood obesity.

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Keywords: Child health, Chronic illnesses and disabilities, History, Life course, Maternal health, Models, Prenatal influences, Prental care, Research, Social determinants of health

Annotation: This blog post features an interview with Dr. Christopher Forrest regarding the life course health development framework and the need for a conceptual shift from disease-oriented research toward a longitudinal science of health. It identifies the development of standardized metrics and a common lexicon as essential for measuring how health attributes are acquired and shaped from birth through adulthood. The document examines the potential for collaborative research networks and distributed data systems to overcome barriers created by disease-oriented funding and partitioned medical specialties. Discussion includes strategies for the Maternal and Child Health Life Course Research Network to advance interdisciplinary education and advocacy for a dedicated federal health development office. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau].

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Keywords: Barriers, Child health, Collaboration, History, Life course, Maternal health, Measures, Metrics, Research, Social determinants of health, Standards

Annotation: This brief explains how state Medicaid programs can be used to address social determinants of health, including economic stability, education, neighborhood and physical environments, employment, social support networks, and access to health care. It describes how states have been given flexibility through managed care programs and Section 1115 demonstration waivers to address non-clinical aspects of care such as case management, housing supports, employment supports, and peer support services. Included is a summary of the new guidance issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) in 2023 on the expansion of opportunities to address health related social needs.

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Keywords: Managed care, Medicaid, Social determinants of health, State programs

Annotation: This starter kit contains resources to help health centers better understand health equity as a broad framework to explain and address structural factors, social determinants of health, and health disparities. The kit includes a collection of innovative strategies, as well as examples of data and measures to track and evaluate health equity efforts. A 13-minute video offers an overview of the starter kit as well as tips for easily navigating through the available tools and resources.

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Keywords: Community health centers, Community organizations, Health equity, Models, Outreach, Social determinants of health

Annotation: This report examines states’ use of Medicaid section 1115 demonstrations to cover housing, nutrition, and other HRSN services and supports for pregnant and postpartum individuals and young children who are experiencing or at risk of unmet HRSNs.

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Keywords: Comparative analysis, Housing, Low income groups, Medicaid, Nutrition, Social determinants of health, Social factors, State programs

Annotation: This toolkit is intended to help public health leaders navigate the policy process and address health inequities by building diverse and inclusive coalitions. It includes background information on health equity, intersectionality, and social determinants of health; an overview of several policy levers that public health leaders can use to advance health equity; and an overview of the policy development process, along with resources to support each step.

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Keywords: Health equity, Policy development, Public policy, Social determinants of health

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.

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

Annotation: This issue brief explains how the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) can promote economic stability and improve maternal health outcomes, particularly among low-income Black, indigenous, and birthing people of color. Included are action steps the maternal health workforce can take to promote awareness and support EITC uptake

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Keywords: Government financing, Health promotion, Income factors, Maternal health, Social determinants of health, Tax credits

Annotation: This brief describes the maternal health crisis in the United States, noting that the U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate among high-income nations, with more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths considered preventable. It explains how the crisis disproportionately affects people of color, particularly Black women who die at three to four times the rate of non-Hispanic White women from pregnancy-related complications. The document outlines key factors contributing to these disparities, including implicit and explicit racial bias, systemic bias, barriers for people with disabilities, limited access to healthcare facilities, lack of skilled providers, socioeconomic challenges, and domestic safety concerns. It presents the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis, which identifies five goals and more than 50 action steps to improve maternal health, and introduces Evidence to Action Briefs developed by the Maternal Health Learning & Innovation Center to facilitate implementation. The brief includes detailed data visualizations depicting maternal mortality trends by race, ethnicity, geography, and causes of death, and features the ROOTT Framework that illustrates how structural and social determinants affect maternal health outcomes.

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Keywords: Barriers, Blacks, Data, Federal initiatives, Health care disparities, Health care systems, Maternal health, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Quality improvement, Service integration, Social determinants of health, Trends

Annotation: This fact sheet provides statistics and estimations of the economics cost of youth violence, as well as long-term consequences and resources for prevention of youth violence. Color graphics illustrate the importance of the issue of youth violence, and references point the reader to sources of information on prevention.

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Keywords: Blacks, Minority groups, Social determinants of health, Violence, Youth

Annotation: This report from the state of Delaware updates the 2011 manual of the same name. Using colorful illustrations, it defines domestic violence, the scope of the problem, symptoms and behaviors that victims of abuse may display, and how healthcare providers can provide screening and support for their patients. The document contains best practice tips, checklists, graphs and sections dedicated to domestic violence experienced by children and youth.

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Keywords: Adolescents, Adverse childhood experiences, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic violence, Minority groups, Social determinants of health

Annotation: This joint report from the Council on Medical Service and the Council on Science and Public Health presents a comprehensive examination of inequities and access barriers in maternal health care in the United States. The report analyzes root causes of the U.S. maternal mortality crisis, with a particular focus on racial and ethnic disparities in care and outcomes, and challenges in insurance coverage, especially through Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The report outlines 16 detailed policy recommendations for the American Medical Association focused on 1) acknowledging and addressing the impact of structural racism in maternal care, 2) expanding insurance coverage (particularly postpartum Medicaid/CHIP coverage to 12 months), 3) improving data collection and research on disparities, 4) strengthening cultural humility in care delivery, 5) promoting collaboration with community organizations, and 6)ensuring adequate payment for evidence-based maternal care services. The report emphasizes the need for systemwide changes to improve maternal health outcomes and eliminate inequities through coordinated policy, payment, workforce development, and quality improvement initiatives.

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Keywords: Access to care, Barriers, Health equity, Health insurance, Maternal health, Maternal mortality, Medicaid, Policy development, Social Determinants of Health

Annotation: This report presents the Maternal Wellbeing City Dashboard, a data-driven platform developed by Ariadne Labs' Delivery Decisions Initiative to improve maternal health outcomes in U.S. cities. The dashboard uses a community livability framework to visualize neighborhood-level indicators across eight social determinants of health, with particular focus on reducing racial inequities. The project combines urban planning and public health approaches to center birthing people in local policy and programming. The report documents the dashboard's development process, including stakeholder engagement and pilot testing in Tulsa, Pittsburgh, and New York City. Testing results indicate the dashboard effectively builds knowledge among users and enables local engagement across various stakeholder groups. Key recommendations include improving navigation, enhancing data interaction capabilities, and enabling local customization to foster community building. The dashboard aims to serve as a catalyst for data-informed action to create more livable communities for birthing people through cross-sector collaboration.

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Keywords: Childbirth, Collaboration, Community participation, Data aggregation, Health care disparities, Health equity, Maternal health, Maternal mortality, Racial factors, Social determinants of health, Urban health

Annotation: This tip sheet outlines potential roles for Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) programs, highlighting specific examples of state-level collaborations. It features case studies including DC's Joyful Food Markets partnership with Martha's Table for food access, Florida and Iowa's workforce development initiatives for motivational interviewing training, New Mexico's Medical Home Portal for bilingual health resources, and Minnesota's Help Me Connect program for connecting families to early childhood services. The document emphasizes Title V programs' capacity to establish shared decision-making through partnerships with state AAP chapters, Medicaid programs, and other agencies to improve child and adolescent health outcomes.

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Keywords: Title V programs, Bright Futures, Pediatric care, Social determinants of health, Collaboration

Annotation: This report examines the differences in suicide rates between Black and White children aged 5-11. Requested and funded by the US Congress, the report examines the facts that contribute to these disparities using tables, grasps, and statistics. It builds on and augments the publication by the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Emergency Taskforce on Black Youth Suicide and Mental Health, “Ring the Alarm: The Crisis of Black Suicide in America,” and it also contains information on interventions that can help prevent suicide.

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Keywords: Adverse childhood experiences, Blacks, Healthcare disparities, Minority groups, Social bias, Social determinants of health, Social factors, Suicide

Annotation: This toolkit for public health advocates and local health departments demonstrates how the activities contained within it can increase physical activity and improve health equity for young people. It contains guiding principles and policy recommendations that address problems in health equity. Case studies from cities throughout the United States demonstrate how access to recreational space and art projects have tackled issues such as chronic disease, depression and violent crime. [Grant funding was provided by the NEA and the Kresge Foundation.]

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Keywords: Community coordination, Community engagement, Green spaces, Health equity, Physical activity, Public health, Recreational services, Recreational spaces, Social determinants of health

Annotation: This appendix presents two iterations of a core set of 18 social determinants of health (SDOH) screening questions for parents. The questions cover material, personal, social, and parenting well-being, and can be used as a standalone screen or integrated into other health assessments. The first iteration is a simplified version with parallel response options (yes, somewhat, no), while the second uses validated tools in their precise form. Topics addressed include financial management, parental confidence, depression, stress, substance use, self-efficacy, social support, community inclusion, racial discrimination, and domestic safety. The appendix also includes baseline demographic information to be collected and offers parents the opportunity to discuss concerns with practitioners.

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Keywords: Assessment, Parents, Questionnaires, Screening, Social determinants of health, Surveys

Annotation: This report from the Social Determinants of Health Technical Working Group of the Maternal and Child Health Measurement Research Network discusses screening for social determinants of health (SDOH) in pediatric primary care for young children. It proposes a comprehensive 18-item screening tool covering four domains: material well-being, psychological/personal well-being, social well-being, and parent-child relationship well-being. The report outlines the rationale for SDOH screening, provides guidance on implementing screening effectively, and recommends next steps for testing and refining the proposed tool. It emphasizes that screening should lead to supportive discussions with families and appropriate follow-up, not just identification of risk factors. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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Keywords: Assessment, Pediatrics, Primary care, Screening, Social determinants of health