Community-based collaborative to improve birth outcomes for Detroit Latinas

A pregnant woman speaking with her doctor

Collaborative to identify key barriers and facilitators to positive birth outcomes and create a strategic plan for change

September 27, 2023

Michigan Public Health researchers are leading a new project aimed at improving maternal and child health for Latina women in Detroit. Funded by a 2-year $350,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, “Community-based Collaborative to Improve Birth Outcomes for Latina Women in Detroit” will serve as a partnership between Michigan Public Health, the Community Health and Social Services (CHASS) Center, and Henry Ford Health System in Detroit to identify key barriers and facilitators to positive birth outcomes and create a strategic plan for changes to institutional policies and procedures to improve overall birth outcomes in this population. 

To do so, the team is set to engage a steering committee of Latina patients and community leaders, conduct interviews with pregnant Latina women and healthcare staff, and examine health records data to create a data-informed action plan. 

“We are excited to have the opportunity to collaborate on this project to help improve maternal and child health outcomes for Latina women in Detroit,” said Paul Fleming, assistant professor of Health Behavior and Health Education at Michigan Public Health. Fleming and Alexis Handal, associate professor of Epidemiology, are collaborating on the project.

“In order to improve health outcomes, we need to first better understand the root causes of poor outcomes. This project will allow us to develop community-led solutions that can lead to institutional transformation and ultimately provide a pathway for mothers and babies to thrive.”

Clara Reyes, Lindsey Thatcher, and Hannah Mesa of the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education are also involved in the work.

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