If I Knew What was Going on with me, Then I Probably Wouldn’t Fel So Sad or Scared: A CBPR Study Addressing Health Disparities for Black Pregnant Women

Abstract

Maternal mortality rates for women identifying as Black are significantly higher than rates for women identifying as Hispanic or White women. The purpose of this community-based participatory research (CBPR) study was to enhance racial equity for Black women who are pregnant. We recruited 20 Black mothers in three Florida counties as co-researchers. These mothers had delivered a live infant within the 12 months prior to the study. Two major themes emerged: environment and health literacy. Theme one entailed three subthemes: lack of options, racial disparities, and feeling dismissed. One subtheme emerged from the second theme: asking for help and communicating specific needs. As a result, a web-based toolkit was informed by these mothers to promote self-advocacy and health literacy. Further research could explore the impact of the toolkit for Black mothers, providers, and partners to support the reduction of health care disparities for Black mothers.