Health Campaign, Research Paper Example

Introduction

Maternal and child health services target the needs of specific population groups and the ability to reflect upon specific frameworks to accomplish healthcare objectives in the public health sector. Mothers and children demonstrate specific areas of need that require high quality services provided by healthcare professionals across a variety of population groups. Many of these programs are grant funded for populations who demonstrate need and who require specific levels of care and treatment. Therefore, women and children must be able to access these services efficiently and effectively to meet their specific needs, particularly when they lack insurance or other resources to obtain these services without difficulty. It is important to recognize the challenges of healthcare services for women and children and to consider different methods of health promotion, access to preventative care, wellness objectives, and other needs to improve the health and wellbeing of this important group across all populations. The Maternal and Child Health Bureau provides an important framework for the provision of these services to those in need.

Body

Women and children comprise a significant segment of the population that require routine and specific healthcare services to improve their wellbeing. In the United States, there are significant disparities among some population groups with respect to access to basic healthcare services, such as the poor, the underserved, and minorities. As a result, it is necessary to consider some of the data that is relevant to this population and how it impacts their overall health and wellbeing. According to the March of Dimes (2010), infant mortality rates have declined significantly in recent years; however, the South has the highest average rates of infant mortality and 6.9 children per 1,000 births did not make it to their first birthday in 2005. African Americans have the highest infant mortality rates, followed by Native Americans and then Whites and Hispanics closely behind (March of Dimes, 2010). Primary causes of infant mortality include birth defects, low birth weight, and other complications, and mothers died at a rate of 13.3 deaths per 100,000 live births during the year 2006, with African Americans experiencing the largest number of maternal deaths (March of Dimes, 2010). Finally, approximately 30 percent of the four million women who give birth annually have some type of complication as a result of pregnancy (March of Dimes, 2010). It is believed that approximately one half of the maternal deaths that occur in the United States could be prevented by obtaining adequate medical care and treatment to treat complications and/or provide basic preventative services in a timely manner (March of Dimes, 2010).

Maternal and child health outcomes in the United States are dependent on a wide range of factors which require an understanding of existing disparities and other factors which prevent access to services for many mothers and children. For example, obtaining access to prenatal care services is a continuous challenge that requires additional understanding to determine where disparities exist and other factors that contribute to obtaining healthcare services. Medicaid currently supports approximately 40 percent of all births in the United States, and this benefit has reduced infant mortality rates and expanded access to prenatal care for many women (Pies et.al, 2011). It is also known that “social, political and physical environments are major determinants of family health, and especially of health inequities…As the national health agenda begins to move more deliberately toward implementing interventions, programs, and policies that are designed to eliminate health inequities to improve the health of this and future generations, support is expanding from the model of prenatal care as a single, all-encompassing solution” (Pies et.al, 2011, p. 2). Therefore, although prenatal care provides many significant benefits, it is only a small component of a much larger approach that is required to ensure that expectant mothers receive the care and treatment that is necessary to promote optimal pregnancy health and child wellbeing (Pies et.al, 2011).

Socioeconomic status plays a critical role in maternal and child health outcomes, particularly for lower income households because this group is more likely to have overall poor health (Fitzpatrick Dennis et.al, 2012). In addition, this group has limited access to healthcare services that will improve their health and wellbeing; therefore, they face significant disparities and may experience difficult pregnancies and birth complications (Fitzpatrick Dennis et.al, 2012). It is important to recognize these limitations and to take steps to overcome these deficiencies by exploring different measures of status to identify areas where community-based interventions might be effective in providing greater access to healthcare services for these groups (Fitzpatrick Dennis et.al, 2012). In these instances, achieving greater maternal outcomes is likely to occur when access to health services is improved and expanded through various community-based efforts (Fitzpatrick Dennis et.al, 2012).

Programs that evolve within community-based settings must be considered in order to promote greater maternal and child health for all population groups. It is important to address the alternatives that are available to support mothers and children to secure improved access to healthcare services to support optimal health during pregnancy and after birth. According to Stebbins (2009), “Economic insecurity also increases maternal stress and impacts both healthy births and healthy child development” (pp. 1-2). These conditions demonstrate that it is very difficult for many mothers and children in lower income communities and in other areas where there are significant disparities that currently exist (Stebbins, 2009). In these instances, it is the responsibility of surrounding communities to develop programs that will provide these mothers and their children with access to healthcare services to minimize the risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth (Stebbins, 2009). Community-based interventions must be identified that will effectively encourage access to these services on a continuous basis (Stebbins, 2009).

From a public health perspective, there is a significant need to provide a continuum of care for mothers and children after birth in order to achieve greater health outcomes throughout the life span (Kerber et.al, 2007). In particular, it is necessary to consider a program that will accomplish the delivery of healthcare services at various stages from birth to adolescence so that children receive the basic services that are necessary to sustain an acceptable quality of life (Kerber et.al, 2007). For example, “Pregnant women need antenatal care that is linked to safe childbirth care provided by skilled attendants. Both mothers and babies need postnatal care during the crucial 6 weeks after birth; postnatal care should also link the mother to family-planning services and the baby to child health care. Adolescents need education and services for nutritional, sexual, and reproductive health” (Kerber et.al, 2007, p. 1359). Under these circumstances, the continuum of care must provide a comprehensive approach to healthcare services for mothers and their children that does not simply ignore future healthcare needs; rather the strategy must consider various intervals of care that will improve the ability to achieve greater quality of life across all communities (Kerber et.al, 2007). From this perspective, it is likely that there will be significant benefits when communities conduct interventions to provide access to these services on a regular basis (Kerber et.al, 2007). In addition to healthcare access, health promotion activities must also be conducted so that mothers and children possess the knowledge that is necessary to make smarter choices to improve their health and wellbeing (Kerber et.al, 2007).

There are a number of challenging circumstances within many communities that prohibit access to healthcare services on a consistent basis, thereby leading to significant risks for many mothers and their children. Therefore, it is necessary to promote healthier outcomes and to encourage individuals within these communities to participate in their own healthcare decisions (Rosato et.al, 2008). The concepts of mobilization, participation, and empowerment are introduced as a means of exploring the options available to community members in order to improve overall health and wellbeing (Rosato et.al, 2008). This is accomplished through the development of specific community-based efforts to 1) promote participation in healthcare programs, mobilize volunteers, community leaders, and other supporters to encourage participation in these programs, and 3) empower mothers to take the steps that are necessary to preserve their own health and the health of their children (Rosato et.al, 2008). These efforts are challenging yet highly rewarding when they achieve the desired outcomes within communities, but they must be executed carefully and with an effective understanding of the target population so that their needs will be met more effectively within this context (Rosato et.al, 2008). Therefore, the facilitation of healthcare access and health promotion activities are likely to be effective indicators of the quality of care that is offered to mothers and children within specific communities (Rosato et.al, 2008). Planning efforts must be comprehensive in nature and specific for the target population and should have experienced leadership in place in order to achieve effective results (Rosato et.al, 2008). These efforts will demonstrate the ability of the community-based intervention effort to achieve success in supporting mothers and their children and their quality of life (Rosato et.al, 2008). Therefore, communities must recognize the need for programmatic efforts and must develop programs that will be specific and measurable in determining the level of success that is achieved (Rosato et.al, 2008).

Accomplishing the desired maternal and child health objectives requires an experienced leadership team in order to accomplish these goals. It is known that “Even though the benefits of comprehensive, integrated service delivery programs are well documented, the child health system continues to evolve as a patchwork of disconnected programs, policies, and funding authorities without clear accountability or performance goals…the current system cannot achieve expected performance goals because it is powered by outdated logic, outmoded organization, and inadequate and misaligned finance strategies that were designed to be responsive to the epidemiology and health goals of the early part of the twentieth century” (Halfon et.al, 2007). Under these conditions, the outdated nature of the current healthcare trajectory is not effective in providing the appropriate level of healthcare access for mothers and children; community-based programs must bridge these gaps and support this population and their health needs (Halfon et.al, 2007). In this context, it is observed that leaders with experience in community and public health programs are likely to provide valuable input in the development of a new program to accommodate mothers and children and their healthcare needs (Halfon et.al, 2007). The gaps that exist in accessing these services are challenging because they are difficult to overcome for mothers with low incomes and who do not have health insurance or are unable to obtain access to federal or state-sponsored services without difficulty (Halfon et.al, 2007). As a result, community leaders with experience in public health issues are ideal contributors to the development of programs to support maternal and child health (Halfon et.al, 2007). Furthermore, these leaders must work with organizational leaders with a primary focus in this area in order to accomplish the desired objectives in a manner that is consistent with state and federally-mandated goals for this population group (Halfon et.al, 2007). These efforts are imperative in supporting the development of new programs that specifically target mothers and children at different stages (Halfon et.al, 2007).

From an economic point of view, it is important to obtain the funding that is necessary to develop a successful community-based program to improve healthcare access and health promotion for maternal and child health needs. Funding these programs is often very challenging and requires a combination of resources, including federal and state funds, grants, and donations from community members and organizations. The appropriate level of funding is critical to the success of these objectives and requires significant effort and solicitation so that these funds are obtained. Funding at the community level is often a challenge and requires an effective understanding of the different approaches that will lead to an increased level of resources to accomplish program objectives. Gathering sufficient resources requires funding to reduce barriers and other factors that influence outcomes in a negative manner (USAID, 2009). In this context, it is important to secure funding by developing programs that will attract different funders and support ongoing developments and access to healthcare services for mothers and children (USAID, 2009). Economic challenges must be reduced so that these programs will provide the benefits for mothers and children who require these services on a regular basis (USAID, 2009). Funding must be secured and maintained so that community-based programs can continue for long periods of time and provide these services to mothers and children in need of care and treatment, particularly for lower income communities (USAID, 2009).

Finally, the development of social marketing efforts is a critical component in supporting maternal and child health efforts at the community level. The use of social networks and public programs and information regarding these interventions is likely to encourage a greater level of support for these programs and a commitment from community members to provide mothers and children in need with access to the necessary services. By promoting these efforts using social networking and other similar programs, there is a greater likelihood that these efforts will also be communicated more effectively to greater numbers of people. These efforts are likely to provide significant support to mothers and children who currently lack access to routine healthcare services, particularly during pregnancy and after childbirth, as these periods are critical to the health and wellbeing of a mother and her child.

Conclusion

There is a significant need for maternal and child health services in many communities throughout the United States. In particular, lower income communities face significant disparities that must be addressed and supported by community-based programs and objectives so that mothers and children will have greater access to healthcare services. Pregnancy and childbirth may lead to any number of complications for mother and child; therefore, it becomes necessary to establish a greater understanding of these needs and the steps that are required to bridge the gaps that currently exist. It is of critical importance that members of communities select experienced leaders to promote programs designed to facilitate optimal maternal and child health and to also recruit volunteers and organizations to work collaboratively in order to provide these services in an effective manner. Mothers and children who lack access to quality healthcare services must be provided with the means to obtain these services so that their health is preserved and care is provided during critical periods. In addition, these efforts must continue into the future and must demonstrate a capacity to achieve effective outcomes for this group as best as possible.

References

Fitzpatrick Dennis, E., Webb, D.A., Lorch, S.A., Mathew, L., Bloch, J.R., and Culhane, J.F. (2012). Subjective social status and maternal health in a low income urban population. Maternal Child Health Journal, 16(4), 834-843.

Halfon, N., DuPleiss, H., and Inkelas, M. (2007). Transforming the U.S. child health system. Health Affairs, 26(2), 315-330.

Kerber, K.J., de Graft-Johnson, J.E., Bhutta, Z.A., Okong, P., Starrs, A., and Lawn, J.E. (2007). Continuum of care for maternal, newborn, and child health: from slogan to service delivery. Lancet, 370, 1358-1369.

March of Dimes (2010). Maternal, infant, and child health in the United States, 2010. Retrieved from www.marchofdimes.com/Databookforpolicymakers.pdf

Pies, C., Parthasarathy, P., and Posner, S.F. (2011). Integrating the life course perspective into a local maternal and child health program. Maternal Child Health Journal, retrieved from http://www2.aap.org/commpeds/htpcp/Training/Life_Course_Handout-2.pdf

Rosato, M., Laverack, G., Howard Grabman, L., Tripathy, P., Nair, N., Mwansambo, C., Azad, K., Morrison, J., Bhutta, Z., Perry, H., Rifkin, S., and Costello, A. (2008). Community participation: lessons for maternal, newborn, and child health. Lancet, 372, 962-971.

Stebbins, H. (2009). Making maternal and child health care a priority. National Center for Children in Poverty, retrieved from http://www.nccp.org/publications/pdf/text_860.pdf

United States Agency for International Development (2009). How to mobilize communities for improved maternal and newborn health. Retrieved from www.accesstohealth.org/toolres/pdfs/access_cmmnh.pdf