Maternal health
The health of mothers, infants and children are critical indicators of the health of the population at large. Poor maternal health has a ripple effect on families and communities. Maternal mortality or illness can leave children orphaned or without proper care, perpetuating cycles of poverty and poor health. In rural communities there are higher rates of infant mortality and maternal morbidity and mortality, and these may arise from limited access to primary care, prenatal, and postpartum health care; transportation barriers; and socioeconomic disparities.
Faculty at MUSM engage and descriptive, analytic and interventional research to understand and address the underlying drivers of poor maternal and child health in rural Georgia.
Current projects
South Georgia Healthy Start
South Georgia Healthy Start provides medical care, education, material resources, and support for expecting and post-partum mother’s father’s and their children in 10 rural Georgia counties. As one of 115 Healthy Start projects across the U.S. funded by the HRSA Maternal and Child Health Bureau, SGHS is committed to providing the best resources, support, and guidance for mothers and fathers as they go through pregnancy and into their child’s earliest years.
Core research faculty:
PROMISE
Substance use in PRegnancy and the mOrbidity Mortality rISk Environment (PROMISE) addresses the urgent need for evidence to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality through interventions for pregnant and postpartum women who use drugs. This project will identify patterns, disparities, and risk factors to guide effective public health responses and improve outcomes from conception through the postpartum year with attention to unique risk environments and rural/urban variations. This project is funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Core research faculty:
- Michael Kramer, PhD
- Hannah Cooper, ScD, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health
Mom’s Hearts Matter
Mom’s Hearts Matter is an interactive digital platform based in behavioral science that aims to improve perinatal wellness and reduce the rate of hypertension-related mortality. Already proven to save lives and avoid adverse events, this patient-guided intervention advances health equity by creating a safety net that seamlessly integrates physical, behavioral, and social drivers of health with the service community designed to care for them. Currently, the project is being implemented at Liberty Regional Medical Center, the Center for Black Women’s Wellness and with Ready, Set, Push. The project is being evaluated with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Core research faculty:
Maternal Health Research Faculty
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Jennifer Barkin, PhDMacon
Dr. Barkin is a Professor of Community Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology and the creator of the Barkin Index of Maternal Functioning (BIMF), which has been used in academia, community-based settings, and in industry-sponsored clinical trials.
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Michael Kramer, PhD
Macon
Dr. Kramer is a social epidemiologist with expertise in population patterns and disparities in maternal and child health outcomes. He leads work addressing maternal morbidity and mortality, preterm birth, infant mortality and early childhood development.
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Krista Mincey, MPH, DrPH
Macon
Dr. Mincey grew up in rural Georgia and her doctoral training focused on the health of rural and underserved communities. Her research focuses on health disparities among Black men.
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