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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Carol M. Smith, MA, ICCE¹, Peter L. Heller, PhD¹, Theordora Pinnock, MD², and M. Jo Edwards, EdD¹. (1) Center for Health and Human Services, Middle Tennessee State University, PO Box 99, Murfreesboro, TN 37132, 615-904-8342, cmsmith@mtsu.edu, (2) Maternal & Child Health, Tennessee Department of Health, 425 Fifth Ave. No., Cordell Hull Bldg., 5th floor, Nashville, TN 37247

Once every five years, each state in the nation is required by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to conduct a maternal and child health needs assessment, as part of their Title V block grant funding. The first statewide needs assessments were conducted in 2000. In 2005, the Tennessee Department of Health contracted with Middle Tennessee State University's Center for Health and Human Services (CHHS) to conduct the second assessment for the state. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used, including state and national data sets, a MCH survey for professionals, a MCH survey for clients, and client focus groups. Using the 2005 Tennessee assessment as a model, this presentation will focus on the process of conducting a needs assessment, identifying sources of data, developing survey and focus group questions, and analyzing and discussing results. It will describe some of the challenges involved in designing and implementing a statewide assessment in a very short period of time – in this case seven months. In addition, the presentation will discuss the recommendations made to the state based on the results of the assessment and to what degree the state chose to implement the report's recommendations. Selected data from the assessment will be presented, primarily as a way of illustrating the process of data collection and analysis, as well as using the data to develop policies and programs.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• List 5 sources for national and statewide MCH data.
• Recognize the HRSA-mandated national MCH performance measures.
• Identify 5 steps in the process of conducting a needs assessment
• Describe the activities necessary to plan, conduct, and report on focus groups

Keywords: Maternal and Child Health, Epidemiology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No