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Complex Systems Approaches to Advance Maternal Health Research and Prevention: Developing a System Dynamics Simulation Model of Severe Maternal Morbidity among Black Women in North Texas.

Award Number: R01MD017596
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CENTER ON MINORITY HEALTH AND HEALTH DISPARITIES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/26/2023
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2028

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Complex Systems Approaches to Advance Maternal Health Research and Prevention: Developing a System Dynamics Simulation Model of Severe Maternal Morbidity among Black Women in North Texas. - PROJECT SUMMARY OR ABSTRACT Non-Hispanic Black women (NHBW) experience high levels of severe maternal morbidity (SMM), which increases risk for maternal mortality. The causes of SMM are multifactorial. Despite the breadth of knowledge and existing preventive strategies, continuously high rates of SMM outcomes suggest that current efforts alone are insufficient to address this issue Thus, alternate approaches are needed to transform understanding of the causes of SMM and to generate breakthroughs in prevention. We argue that SMM outcomes are best conceptualized as dynamically complex systems, consisting of tightly coupled elements that continually evolve over time. Thus, to address SMM outcomes among NHBW, we will apply complex systems approaches – namely, system dynamics (SD) modeling and system dynamics group model building (SD GMB) – to answer complexity-informed research questions and enable more efficacious prevention strategies. The overall aim of this project is to apply complex systems approaches to generate a holistic understanding of the dynamically complex systems underlying SMM outcomes among NHBW, and then translate this understanding into a novel, evidence-based simulation model to be used for evaluating the effectiveness of interventions that can curb these outcomes. Our specific aims are as follows: 1) to use SD GMB to create a qualitative SD model of the dynamically complex systems that generate SMM outcomes among NHBW; 2) to translate the qualitative SD model into a quantitative SD simulation model; 3) to identify, evaluate, and enhance the effectiveness of existing and plausible interventions that can reduce SMM outcomes among NHBW; and 4) to disseminate the quantitative SD model as a simulation-based dashboard for stakeholders and researchers aiming to reduce SMM outcomes among NHBW. The successful completion of this project is expected to transform understanding of the development and perpetuation of SMM outcomes by: a) using systems science methods to identify effective solutions to reduce gaps in maternal health; b) disseminating insights to diverse stakeholders to guide broader community level healthcare and social policy decision-making in the presence of dynamic complexity; and c) providing an initial SD model of maternal health that can spur replication across other contexts. This project will also impact maternal health research more broadly by: a) demonstrating the potential of convening multiple perspectives in maternal health, complex systems science, and participatory research methods in maternal health research; b) providing transformative evidence of the utility of complex systems approaches in maternal health research and prevention; and c) generating the first SD model of SMM outcomes that can be expanded or adapted to other contexts (e.g. as a national model), with anticipated and plausible impacts for the broader public and population health fields.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $371,670 )
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON	701 S NEDDERMAN DR	ARLINGTON	TX	76019	TARRANT	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	001	3	8/6/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$371,670
2025	2023	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON	701 S NEDDERMAN DR	ARLINGTON	TX	76019	TARRANT	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	000	1	11/29/2024	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $371,670

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $362,166 )
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON	701 S NEDDERMAN DR	ARLINGTON	TX	76019	TARRANT	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	000	2	7/31/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$362,166
2024	2023	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON	701 S NEDDERMAN DR	ARLINGTON	TX	76019	TARRANT	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	001	1	8/1/2024	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $362,166

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $365,096 )
2023	2023	THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON	701 S. NEDDERMAN DR	ARLINGTON	TX	76019	TARRANT	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	000	1	9/26/2023	NEW	$365,096
2023	2023	THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON	701 S. NEDDERMAN DR	ARLINGTON	TX	76019	TARRANT	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	001	1	9/28/2023	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $365,096

Grand Total All Awards = $1,098,932

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Complex Systems Approaches to Advance Maternal Health Research and Prevention: Developing a System Dynamics Simulation Model of Severe Maternal Morbidity among Black Women in North Texas.

Award Number: R01MD017596

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CENTER ON MINORITY HEALTH AND HEALTH DISPARITIES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/26/2023

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2028

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