The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #61815

Jennifer Leigh Skala, MEd and Magda G. Peck, ScD. Department of Pediatrics/Section of Child Health Policy, CityMatCH at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, 982170 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-2170, (402) 561-7500, jskala@unmc.edu

Background: CityMatCH worked with 14 cities through a Practice Collaborative (PC) to utilize, define and implement the PPOR approach in U.S. urban communities to improve women�s and infants� health.

Methods: A six-step approach was followed over two years to build community and analytic �readiness,� to map and further investigate city-specific feto-infant mortality, and to translate findings into targeted community-driven actions. The CityMatCH PPOR PC (2000-2002) provided strategic leadership, scientific support, structured peer exchange, continuous assessment and promoted best practices to action teams from selected U.S. cities.

Results: All PPOR-PC cities found greatest �opportunity gaps� in feto-infant mortality in two Periods of Risk: <1500 grams (�Maternal health/prematurity�) and postneonatal >1500 grams (�Infant Health�). Many cities integrated PPOR analytic findings with focused FIMR findings to identify key strategies for prevention. Assessment and emphasis on �community readiness� fostered greater mobilization based on data. Attention to analytic readiness increased data capacity and partnership with many states. Focus on identified PPOR �gaps� allowed cities to better target prevention strategies, including a shift to preconceptional health.

Conclusions: Findings from the PC will be demonstrated in one city�s example of how PPOR was an effective approach for developing community-based interventions focused on pre-\interconceptual care and improved access to prenatal care to address infant mortality and health disparities.

Public Health Implications: Implementation of the six-step PPOR approach, not just feto-infant mortality data, stimulated new and/or strengthened existing community partnerships to improve women�s and infants� heath.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to: (
• articulate how PPOR was used to locally-define disparities to target further epi investigations; (
• acknowledge methods used to integrate PPOR, FIMR and Healthy Start to produce better information; and (
• define strategies to build stronger local/state/community partnerships to address maternal health/prematurity.

Keywords: Maternal and Child Health, Infant Mortality

Related Web page: www.citymatch.org/PPOR/index.htm

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.