Monday, January 13, 2025
1/13/2025
Morgan State University proposes a project entitled Racial Disparities in Maternal Health and the Role of Doulas in Reducing Disparities in collaboration with the underserved minority communities of Baltimore City. Our research project aims to examine the racial disparities in maternal health and identify the potential barriers and enablers to utilizing doula services during the perinatal period to reduce disparities in maternal mortality and morbidity among underserved minority women. According to the literature, multiple factors contribute to the increasing racial/ethnic disparities in maternal mortality and morbidity, including individual-level, environmental, and system-level factors. Therefore, alternate interventions to reduce disparities in maternal health have been at the forefront and shown in research to be beneficial, including using non-medical trained professionals such as doulas. Most of the research exploring the benefits of doula services have been quantitative studies, with findings about improved delivery and birth outcomes as well as the cost-effectiveness of the doula model of care. Many organizations, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, have supported doula services. Several states around the country now cover doula services, yet only 6% of individuals surveyed utilized doula services despite the documented benefits. Given the worsening trends in minority women’s pregnancy, delivery, and birth outcomes, qualitative research is urgently needed to better understand the factors influencing and impeding underserved minority women’s access to and utilization of doula services. Identifying these factors will help to fill the literature gap and influence the development of maternal health policies and programs that improve doula access and utilization and ultimately reduce the disparities in maternal health. The goal of our research is to examine racial disparities in maternal health and explore and identify the barriers and enablers to underserved minority women utilizing the doula model of care to reduce these disparities. Aim 1: To identify factors that facilitate or impede doulas from providing doula services to underserved racial/ethnic minority groups. Aim 2: To identify factors that facilitate or impede access to and utilization of doula services among underserved racial/ethnic minority groups. To achieve these specific aims, we will (1) conduct a series of eight (8) small focus groups of five (5) underserved minority women per group who had a live birth within the past two years. Inclusion criteria are: self-identified Black minorities, between ages 15 and 44, living in Baltimore City, who have had a live birth within the past two years. All participants must be able to complete the Informed Consent process voluntarily. In addition, in-depth interviews will be conducted with an estimated subtotal of ten (10) focus group participants as follow up. We will also conduct two (2) focus group of five (5) doulas per group. Inclusion criteria for doulas are: has been trained and certified by a state-approved organization and has been serving as a doula for at least two years in the Baltimore area. An experienced external minority, female facilitator will conduct all of these focus groups and interviews. The structured interview and focus group data will then be coded and analyzed. The study’s findings will be disseminated in the target community via blog posts, reports, infographics, and presentations with local doula community organizations as well as in the public and professional spheres via professional journal articles and presentations at academic maternal and public health conferences.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).