The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #61708

Jill S. Trei, BS¹, Henry H. Chang, BA¹, Megan C. Lindley, BA¹, Xu Yao, BA¹, John Collins, CNM², and Jann Dalton, MSW³. (1) School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University, 114 Pendleton Street, New Haven, CT 06511, 203-389-9950, jill.trei@yale.edu, (2) Bridgeport Community Health Center, 27 Manor Street, Hamden, CT 06517, (3) March of Dimes CT Chapter, 255 Pitkin Street, East Hartford, CT 06108

Introduction. Recent budget cuts from Connecticut’s funding for Maternal and Child Health (MCH) and proposed changes in the state’s managed care system have resulted in an erosion of the MCH infrastructure for care and services available to vulnerable populations. To address this crisis, the Connecticut Chapter of the March of Dimes and students at the Yale University School of Public Health will generate a summary of statewide MCH agencies to gain perspective of the problem’s magnitude and to project future outcomes. Survey Methods. Self-administered surveys will be sent to clinical directors of all public and private hospitals, healthcare clinics, and community health centers providing MCH care and services in Connecticut. Questions will address types of service provided, reductions in these services, number of patients served, operating hours, staff numbers, and funding during past, present and future funding cycles (2001-2004). Client demographic information will be collected in order to describe those served or not served by agencies due to funding. Data Analysis. Descriptive statistics developed using the SAS statistical software program will be utilized to describe observed changes in Connecticut’s MCH infrastructure. Qualitative and quantitative techniques will be used to summarize service and funding changes over the three-year period; categorical modeling will be used to describe associations between aspects of these two variables. Goals. The results of this study will be made available to participating agencies and the Public Health and Appropriations Committees of the Connecticut Legislature, as well as the Connecticut Chapter of the March of Dimes.

Learning Objectives:

• To identify the areas of maternal and child health care services that are most susceptible to funding cuts.
• To describe specific impacts of budget-related MCH service reductions upon vulnerable population segments.

Keywords: Maternal and Child Health, Access and Services

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.