Background: In Jacksonville, Florida, a city of 750,000 in a metro area of over one million, Black infant mortality in Jacksonville has increase for three years. The increase has occurred primarily in a defined geographic area, the "core city". Rising infant mortality rates were addressed with urgency by the Health Department, Healthy Start Coalition, and the city's Children's Commission. A task force was developed to analyze the cause and make recommendations.
Analysis: The core city with a population of 175,000, and 30% of Jacksonville's African American population accounts for 50% of all African American infant deaths. Characteristics of the infant deaths were analyzed using a period of risk model. This model revealed that preconception factors cause most of the elevation in infant mortality rates in the "core city". This concentration of infant mortality was demonstrated to the task force using GIS plotting of infant mortality rates by zip code. The "excess mortality" associated with the disparity was analyzed and presented to the task force for further appreciation of the number of lives being lost.
Action: The task force submitted and received Federal HRSA Healthy Start grant funds to provide preconception intervention for nonpregnant women in the target area. Clients are identified through targeted community outreach, brought in through a comprehensive "women's health center", and provided intensive case management if high risk. The project is fully operational as of November 1, 1999.
Learning Objectives: 1. Understand how Northeast Florida collaborated to create a comprehensive maternal child health initiative. 2. Understand the roles and relationships of the various collaborators. 3. Understand the motivating factors of the participants
Keywords: Infant Mortality,
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Duval County Health Department
Florida Department of Health - Epidemiology Section
Northeast Florida Healthy Start Coalition
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.