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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Kynna N. Wright, PhD, MPH, CPNP¹, Carole Jordan-Harris, MD, MS¹, and Kiko Malin, MPH, MSW². (1) California Chapter, March of Dimes, 3699 Wilshire Blvd. Suite #520, Los Angeles, CA 90010, (310) 709-6223, kwright@ucla.edu, (2) March of Dimes California, 1050 Sansome Street, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94111

The Healthy Babies, Healthy Futures (HBHF): Preventing Prematurity Program aims to eliminate health disparities in birth outcomes by using community health workers & church volunteer leadership to empower African American women and their families to have the healthiest pregnancy possible. The program trains lay health workers from local churches and community-based organizations to provide culturally appropriate education to pregnant women and women of childbearing age and to connect them to local health programs for additional support and services. Implemented with small groups in primarily faith-based settings, HBHF incorporates interactive lectures, visuals, and group sharing to identify ways to combat preterm birth and low birthweight in the African American community. The program evaluation consists of pre and post tests to assess knowledge of risk factors associated with prematurity and healthy habits during pregnancy, as well as a six-month follow-up interview that queries about changes in behavior and access to community resources. Preliminary results indicate that the program has been successful in increasing knowledge levels and changing health-related behaviors and in changing norms in the community and reinforcing that every woman has the right to a healthy full-term pregnancy. Developed by March of Dimes volunteers, the program's success lies in the ability of its steering committee to build relationships with key stakeholders in the church setting. Rationale for the faith-based setting and the process for selection of suitable church partners will be discussed, as will challenges and successes from the perspective of the trainers, participants and faith-based leaders.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe a community-based model for delivery of preconception and prenatal education and services to minority women;
• Identify ways that faith-based organizations can engage minority women and empower them to prevent premature births.

Keywords: Health Disparities, Faith Community

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered