Community-Based Approaches to Developing a Community-Level Intervention to Improve Black Maternal and Infant Health.

Area of Science:

• Maternal and Child Health
• Community-Based Participatory Research
• Health Equity

Background:

• Racial inequities in U.S. maternal and infant healthcare persist, leading to disparities in outcomes for Black women.
• Inadequate care during childbirth and postpartum exacerbates these disparities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe community-based approaches for developing a maternal and child health intervention.
• To inform the creation of a population-specific intervention targeting Black maternal and infant health.

Main Methods:

• Formed a community-based research team including social workers and doulas.
• Developed a community-level intervention tailored to the needs of Black mothers and infants.
• Incorporated lived experiences and professional expertise of community members into research protocols.

Main Results:

• Established a diverse community research team with a birth doula, social worker, and community members.
• Team members' expertise and lived experiences were integral to research design and protocol development.
• Leveraged university infrastructure and provided training and compensation for community team members.

Conclusions:

• This community-based research approach fosters long-term capacity and engagement.
• The ongoing work aims to develop a population-specific intervention to improve Black maternal and infant health outcomes.
• Community partnerships are crucial for addressing health disparities.