Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #106376

Kimberlee Wyche-Etheridge, MD MPH and Tina Lester, RN, MSN. Division of Family, Youth and Infant Health, Metro Nashville Public Health Department, 311 23rd Ave North, Nashville, TN 37203, 615-340-5358, tina.lester@nashville.gov

Since 2000, Nashville has participated in the Perinatal Periods of Risk (PPOR) method of analysis to evaluate and address infant mortality. The majority of infants that die in Nashville do so as a result of maternal health issues and prematurity. In order to have a healthy pregnancy outcome, a woman's health must be addressed in the preconception period. As a result of this finding, the Metropolitan Public Health Department has joined the Public Health and Faith Institute in TN to create a partnership to address and try to solve this local problem. Starting in the spring of 2004, the MPHD began to recruit influential women from local churches, who were willing to be trained in the area of women's health, and birth outcomes. These women went through an intense training using an established health curriculum and upon completion, they committed to take the information they learned back to the other women in their churches in the form of health ministries, and or sessions geared towards reproductive aged women. When coming from women in the church, opposed to public health officials, the information was well received, without as much distrust, as is seen when governmental agencies attempt to enter the community. As a result of the education, women improved their knowledge around perinatal health disparities, and what can be done to decrease these numbers. It will take more time to determine if this in time leads to a decrease in poor perinatal outcomes.

Learning Objectives: By the end of this session, participants

• Will see the tramendous strides that can be made when public health and faith organizations partner
• Will have exposure to an example of a non traditional way of approaching infant mortality through improving the health of pre and interconception women
• Will appreciate the benefits of training and using faith based, lay health workers as change agents

Keywords: Faith Community, Perinatal Outcomes

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.