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

Persistent racial inequities and inadequate healthcare for Black women during childbirth and postpartum have led to disturbing maternal and infant mortality disparities in the United States. The purpose of the current manuscript is to describe community-based approaches to inform the development of a maternal and child health intervention.

To address these health disparities, a community-based research team was formed to develop a population-specific community-level intervention that pairs social workers and doulas to improve Black maternal and infant health.

A community-based research team was established with a birth doula, a clinical social worker, a Black mother, community research scientists, and a community research assistant from the San Francisco Bay Area, California. Moreover, the team members brought their lived experiences and professional expertise, which informed our research approach. The community team members were integral in developing research protocols and approaches. We leveraged university infrastructure, trained team members in research methods, and compensated team members for their expertise.

This ongoing community-based research approach will build long-term capacity and engagement to develop a community-level population-specific intervention to improve Black maternal and infant health outcomes.