FIMR is a community-based strategy aimed at reducing fetal and infant deaths in a community by targeting causes of these deaths related to problems or gaps in the perinatal health care system. To determine the role FIMR plays in perinatal health improvements, a national evaluation was conducted with MCHB funding. Local health department officials were interviewed in 46 communities with only a FIMR, 36 communities with only a perinatal systems initiative (PI) other than FIMR, 45 communities with both a FIMR and PI, and 66 communities with neither (control group).
Preliminary results indicate that the presence of a FIMR and another perinatal systems initiative (PI) increases the chance that the local health department (LHD) is implementing public MCH functions. For example, LHDs in communities with both (FIMR and PI) were significantly more likely to collect and analyze population-based data relevant to pregnant women and infants than LHDs in communities with neither initiative. Similarly, in communities with both initiatives, a greater percentage of LHDs reported facilitating linkages among hospitals than LHDs in communities with neither. FIMR also had an impact independent of the presence of a PI. LHDs in communities with FIMR (either alone or with a PI) were more likely to report the use of a common risk assessment tool for pregnant women and the use of a tracking system for follow-up of high-risk newborns after hospital discharge.
The presentation will expand on these findings and significant results that emerged from interviews with FIMR and PI directors in these communities.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to: 1) Articulate the different policy, program and practice impacts of FIMR on improving systems of perinatal health. 2)Describe the extent to which FIMRs affect the implementation of the core public health functions (assessment, quality assurance and policy development) at the community level. 3) Discuss the significance of the evaluation findings for local MCH programs.
Keywords: Infant Mortality, Data/Surveillance
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.