Improving Equity in Birth Outcomes, a Community-based, Culturally-centered Approach

Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota

PROJECT SUMMARY: For African American women, prenatal care often fails to account for the need of culturally focused care that considers the role of institutional and interpersonal racism in their day-to-day experiences and encounters in the health care system. This study seeks to test the hypothesis that access to culturally focused care is a predictor of improved health outcomes, including family cohesion and empowerment, and management of psychosocial stress during pregnancy. Understanding and documenting best practices for culturally centered prenatal care is a secondary goal of this project.

IN ACTION: Follow the new blog series, “Toward a Better Birth for All Women,” which will illuminate aspects of racial equality in childbirth and highlight promising practices to ensure access to a safe, empowering, healthy, and positive birth for all people.

Improving Equity in Birth Outcomes, a Community-Based, Culturally-Centered Approach
TEAM MEMBERS

[Pictured from Left to Right]

  • Katy Kozhimannil, PhD, MPA, Associate Professor, Division of Health Policy and Management, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Rachel Hardeman, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Division of Health Policy and Management, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Rebecca Polston, CPM, LM, Certified Professional Midwife and Founder, Roots Community Birth Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
"Research can't be done effectively without community voices, and all too often those voices are excluded. Interdisciplinary Research Leaders brings community partners directly into the project design to address urgent issues."
— Rachel R. Hardeman

[contact-form-7 id=”1409″ title=”Share This Opportunity”]