Building Capacity to Address Rural Maternal Health Disparities

The Building Capacity to Address Rural Maternal Health Disparities project aims to establish a collaborative network representing patients, caregivers, payers, providers, community organizations, policy makers, and advocacy organizations that commit to a partnership focused on eliminating severe maternal morbidity disparities in underserved, under-resourced rural communities through patient-centered outcomes research/comparative effectiveness research.

Partially Funded by:

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI®)

Funding Amount:

$249,939

Project Duration:

January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2024

Project Collaborators:

UPMC Magee Womens Hospital, University of Pittsburgh, Brandeis University

Research Location:

Project activities are being conducted in-person and virtually with individuals who reside in or work with rural communities throughout the United States, with a particular focus on rural communities in Pennsylvania.

Background

A disproportionate rate of severe maternal morbidity impacts perinatal individuals who reside in rural communities. This disparity is a result of many factors including limited access to obstetrical care, social factors, and the high prevalence of chronic conditions. 

Health Care Challenge

Healthcare systems and policy makers strive to address persistent disparities across perinatal subpopulations, but well-intended efforts are often uncoordinated, and impact is suboptimal or unknown.

Goals

  • Develop an actionable and patient-centered research agenda focused on collaborator and community-informed priorities and research gaps to eliminate rural maternal health disparities

  • Create, convene, and sustain a collaborative Rural Maternal Health Advisory Committee to foster continuous engagement in and monitoring of rural maternal health research endeavors.

Implementation Approach

This project leverages three engagement strategies that bring unique perspectives from persons with lived experience and/or vested interest in rural maternal health to identify rural perinatal health research priorities:

  • Community Engagement Studios (held in-person and virtually)
  • Key informant interviews
  • Creation and convening of a Rural Maternal Health Advisory Committee

Research reported on this webpage was funded through a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute® (PCORI®) Award (EACB-26920). The views, statements, and opinions presented in this webpage are solely the responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the PCORI®. The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute® (PCORI®) is an independent, nonprofit organization authorized by federal law. Its mission is to fund research that will provide patients, their caregivers, and clinicians with the evidence-based information needed to make better-informed healthcare decisions. PCORI is committed to continually seeking input from a broad range of stakeholders to guide its work.