State of Black Family Maternal and Child Health and Focus Group Results

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State of Black Family Maternal and Child
Healthand Focus Group Results

• Carolyn M. Springer, Ph.D.
• Research funded by the MCH Bureau, HRSA
• Grant G97MC04454
• Grantee Todays Child Communications

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Research Team

• Carolyn M. Springer, Ph.D.
• Michelle H. Pigott, MA
• Vaschele Williams, MA
• Cristina Boquin
• Kari Lundwall, MA
• Lauren Springer, JD

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Black Americans

• 36 million 13 of US population
• The poorest health status of any American
  demographic
• Race and Ethnicity as major determinants of
  health
• Poverty
• Increased morbidity
• Increased mortality
• Inadequate health insurance
• Limited access to health care

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Maternal and Child Health

• IMR 200413.6 for Blacks 5.7 for Whites
• Black infants are twice as likely
• to die in infancy
• to be born pre-term
• to be low birth weight
• Black women
• More than 2x likely to receive late or no
  pre-natal care
• 3 to 4x as likely to die from pregnancy and
  related complications

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Life Expectancy at Birth 1999-2005
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Infant Mortality Rate by Mothers Race 1999-2005
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Low-birth weight 1999-2000 by Race
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Insurance

• Rates of insurance have risen for Black children
  (9 in 2003 down from 14 in 1998) but still
  below rates for white children (6 in 2003)

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National Black Family Promotions Coalition
Partners to Promote Maternal and Child Health
Initiative

• 5 year project (2005-2010)
• Supported by funding from HRSAs MCH Bureau part
  of the Alliance for Information on Maternal and
  Child Health
• Address racial disparities in maternal child
  health through education, advocacy, social
  marketing and program and policy development.

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Focus Groups

• Provide a forum for participants to have a
  dialogue about Black families and health
• Topics Value placed on health health
  disparities health care treatment health
  behaviors heath barriers and facilitators
  health literacy pre-natal care
• 3 regions (Washington DC Chicago, IL New York
  City Tristate Area)

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Focus Groups

• 3 groups in each city
• Coed
• Male Only
• Pregnant Women
• About 10-15 people in each group
• Participant Criteria
• Black, African-American, Caribbean or African
• Over 18 years,
• Currently pregnant or moms and dads with children
  under 5 years
• Sample
• Six groups in Washington D.C. and Chicago,
  Illinois
• 67 participants (37 women, 30 men)

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Major Themes

• Access to health care services
• Quality of services
• Issues related to health insurance
• Issues related to health disparities
• Misconceptions about medications
• Relationships with health care providers
• Images of African-American fathers
• Competing demands which make it difficult for
  health to be a priority.