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Abstract

Maternal mortality rates for women identifying as Black are significantly higher than rates for women identifying as Hispanic or White women. The purpose of this community-based participatory research (CBPR) study was to enhance racial equity for Black women who are pregnant. We recruited 20 Black mothers in three Florida counties as co-researchers. These mothers had delivered a live infant within the 12 months prior to the study. Two major themes emerged: environment and health literacy. Theme one entailed three subthemes: lack of options, racial disparities, and feeling dismissed. One subtheme emerged from the second theme: asking for help and communicating specific needs. As a result, a web-based toolkit was informed by these mothers to promote self-advocacy and health literacy. Further research could explore the impact of the toolkit for Black mothers, providers, and partners to support the reduction of health care disparities for Black mothers.

Key Take Away Points

  • Feeling dismissed because of one’s race was a common theme woven through the participants’ responses. Perhaps the most vital intervention providers can make is to listen to Black women and take their concerns seriously.
  • Increasing racial representation in health care, not only with providers but also with nurses, health care social workers, and clinic staff, may allow these women to feel more comfortable at their perinatal visits.
  • Education needs to be a top priority during patient encounters throughout pregnancy to possibly resolve the issues surrounding maternal death and morbidity rates in minorities.
  • Many of the mothers in the present study shared that the lack of mental health treatment and support was a significant area of difficulty, with mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety, and general distress being raised by almost every participant.

Author Biography

Dr. Heather Howard is an Associate Professor at the Sandler School of Social Work. Her research focuses on family preservation and support for families impacted by substance use disorder. Erica Cavidad is a clinician that specializes in the treatment of substance use disorder and trauma. Herlie Bertrand is a doula and maternal nurse and Phd Candidate at the FAU College of Nursing. Kerry-Ann Dixon is a maternal nurse and Phd candidate at the FAU College of Nursing. Dr. Dawn Hawthorne is a Professor at the FAU College of Nursing and specializes in maternal health and loss. Sarvika Bommakanti is a medical student at the FAU College of Medicine about to graduate and will be doing a pediatric residency. Dr. Angel Montfort is a psychologist who specialized in the treatment of perinatal and postpartum mood disorders.

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the mothers who helped shape the toolkit to empower others to advocate for their maternal health and families.

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