Tougaloo College Maternal Health Research Collaborative

African American/ Black mothers are most likely to suffer the worst pregnancy outcomes including death. The TCMHRC team will collect Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) data to identify healthcare needs and potential interventions for Tougaloo College Delta Health Partners Healthy Start Initiative (TC/DHP) mothers. GOAL: Train and develop ten (10) students to conduct applied maternal health research focusing on prenatal/perinatal health and pregnancy outcomes to help reduce maternal mortality morbidity rates and infant mortality among high-risk mothers in the Mississippi Delta. TCMHRC will target seven (7) disadvantaged counties in the Mississippi Delta. OBJECTIVE 1: To collect PRAMS information before and after pregnancy for at least one hundred mothers enrolled in the TC/DHP Initiative by 9/29/28. OBJECTIVE 2: To analyze and identify trends from the data collected from PRAMS information by 9/29/28. OBJECTIVE 3: To conduct a pilot study examining the PRAMS research findings and identify strategies for healthcare needs and potential interventions during the prenatal and perinatal periods on 9/29/28. OBJECTIVE 4: To develop and disseminate research findings to address social determinants of health and disparities in maternal health by 9/29/ 28. OBJECTIVE 5: To submit one grant proposal to HRSA and MCHB by 9/29/28. METHODS: Students will research the most effective way to implement the PRAMS survey among pregnant and postpartum women in the Mississippi Delta. Students will identify maternal health outcomes of concern and develop community-based solutions to address the following questions: 1. What do students identify as the most significant maternal health outcomes of concern? 2. What do students identify as the social determinants of these maternal health outcomes? 3.How do students contribute to developing community-based solutions to address areas of concern?4. Are women who complete the pregnancy section of the PRAMS at the same time more likely to respond to a more significant number of questions in the pregnancy section than women who complete the PRAMS during the postpartum period?

Products:

The TCMHRC team will submit an abstract proposal to conduct poster presentations at the National Healthy Start Association Annual Conference the Society for Public Health Education Annual Meeting and the American Journal of Public Health. The team will also conduct a presentation at the TC Social Justice Week and TC/DHP CAN district meeting. The team will submit manuscripts to two peer-reviewed scientific journals the American Journal for Public Health and the Journals for Rural Health.

Evaluation:

Data sources for the assessment of student learning and skill development include the following:1.Percent of students who successfully pass the Community Health Worker Course (CHWC) Adult Mental Health First Aid and Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Program on Human Subjects research.2.Annual student survey to assess student learning and feedback on the program. Data sources for identifying maternal health outcomes of concern and developing community-based solutions will include:1.Observation or review of student presentations to assess the ability of students to identify key health issues in need of intervention and the social determinants of that health issues. 2.Observation of student presentations at county and district CAN meetings to assess students' roles in developing community-based solutions. Data sources to implement the PRAMS survey include:1.Add questions to the existing PRAMS survey to differentiate between surveys completed by TC/DHP Community Health Outreach Workers and students. 2. Examine differences in the number of questions completed.