The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #45796

Charlanne FitzGerald, MPH, Center for Health Policy and Program Evaluation, University of Wisconsin, 502 North Walnut Street, Madison, WI 53705, 715-588-3324, cjfitzge@facstaff.wisc.edu and Alice Elm, BS, Director of Honoring Our Children with a Healthy Start Project, Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc., P.O. Box 9, Lac du Flambeau, WI 54538.

In 1994, a statewide maternal-child health data system was initiated at nine tribal health facilities, which allowed export of Women, Infants, and Child Program data to a separate more comprehensive database, the Maternal-Child Health Data System (WI MCH-DS). Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council (GLITC) partnered with Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services (WI DHFS) in the development and use of the WI MCH-DS. The state was looking for improved, more inclusive information about Native People, while GLITC and Wisconsin Tribes were seeking a more accurate picture of the health of Wisconsin Indian women and children. Barriers to implementing the system at the tribal level included: 1) technical problems related to ongoing development of the software; 2) training needs and technical support; 3) outdated operating systems; 4) lack of understanding of the need for the information system; 5) reluctance by some tribal MCH programs to participate in the database. To address these barriers, GLITC has provided the state with feedback for changes in new software versions to meet tribal needs. GLITC and the WI DHFS have worked together to improve the skills of tribal health staff and to improve the quality and understanding of the health information from the WI MCH-DS. Increasingly, Tribal Health Administrators and leaders are recognizing the value of the MCH database reports and using the information in negotiating with government agencies, seeking funding, setting health priorities, and designing and evaluating public health programs.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize four barriers to Tribes participating in collection of and using health information.
• Identify means employed by GLITC for overcoming these barriers. 3.Discuss benefits of the benefits to state health departments and American Indian Tribes in partnering for statewide public health data collection.

Keywords: American Indians, Maternal and Child Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services MCH Data System
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.