ARLINGTON, Va., March 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- March of Dimes, the leader in the fight for the health of all moms and babies, and longtime partner, Amerigroup Foundation, are working together to tackle America's maternal and infant health crisis. As both organizations continue to address health inequity across the country, the partnership in New Jersey aims to address the racial disparities and social determinants of health that have disproportionately impacted Black mothers.
The Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) recently reported that racial and ethnic health disparities in the U.S. have worsened over the past two decades. In order to achieve the Healthy People 2030 goals for Pregnancy and Childbirth, maternity care systems need to address disparities that threaten maternal and infant health. Researchers have identified implicit bias among health care providers as a potential contributor to these disparities. In response to these findings, March of Dimes developed Breaking Through Implicit Bias in Maternal Healthcare training, in collaboration with Quality Interactions, to improve patient-provider communications and treatment decisions, contributing to improved quality of care at a critical intervention point. The course provides an overview of implicit bias, its impact on the maternal infant health crisis, the history of structural racism in the United States, and strategies for providers to both mitigate racial bias in maternity care and commit to a culture of equity. The American Hospital Association recognizes the value of this important training program and the potential benefits of its use by healthcare providers across the country to better identify and remedy implicit bias. Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center, Trinitas Regional Medical Center, and The Valley Hospital have been selected as local health equity partners to implement this important work.
"The U.S. is in the midst of a maternal and infant health crisis, which is particularly devastating to women and babies of color. Data shows that the U.S. remains among the most dangerous developed nations in the world for childbirth," said Dr. Rahul Gupta, Chief Medical and Health Officer, Senior Vice President and Interim Chief Scientific Officer at March of Dimes. "Roughly every 12 hours, a woman dies from pregnancy-related causes, and the CDC reports that 60% are preventable. Programs like these, supported by the Anthem Foundation, are invaluable in making a positive impact for moms and babies."
Over the past decade, Amerigroup Foundation's parent company, Anthem Foundation, has contributed close to $8 million to support March of Dimes programs aimed at reducing premature birth that have reached more than 50,000 pregnant women across the country. These programs have had a significant impact with only 7.3% of participants in group prenatal care delivering prematurely, compared to a national average of 10%.
"At Amerigroup, we understand that new and expecting parents may be dealing with a lot of stress or anxiety which can impact not only their own health but also the health of the family or child," said Teresa Hursey, Amerigroup New Jersey Plan President. "To help materially improve the health and well-being of the people and communities we support, we're proud to partner with March of Dimes to ensure new parents have access to critical services and programs designed to encourage healthy pre- and post-natal habits."
About March of Dimes
March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. We support research, lead programs and provide education and advocacy so that every baby can have the best possible start. Building on a successful 80-year legacy of impact and innovation, we empower every mom and every family. Visit marchofdimes.org or nacersano.org for more information. Visit shareyourstory.org for comfort and support. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and Twitter.
About Amerigroup Foundation
The Amerigroup Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Amerigroup, a wholly owned subsidiary of Anthem, Inc. Together, with local, regional and national organizations, the Amerigroup Foundation commitment to improving lives and communities. Through strategic partnerships and programs, the Foundation addresses the social drivers that will help create a healthier generation of Americans in communities that the company serves. Amerigroup Foundation funding is focused on critical initiatives working to address and provide innovative solutions to health care challenges, as well as promoting the Healthy Generations Program, a multi-generational initiative with five areas of focus: Healthy Heart, Cancer Prevention, Healthy Maternal Practices, Type 2 Diabetes Prevention, and Healthy Active Lifestyle. These disease states and medical conditions include: prenatal care in the first trimester, low birth weight babies, cardiac morbidity rates, long term activities that decrease obesity and increase physical activity, diabetes prevalence in adult populations, adult pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations and smoking cessation. The Foundation also coordinates the company's year-round Dollars for Dollars program which provides a 100 percent match of associates' donations, as well as its Volunteer Time Off and Dollars for Doers community service programs. To learn more about the Amerigroup Foundation, please visit http://www.anthem.foundation and its blog at https://medium.com/anthemfoundation.
SOURCE March of Dimes Inc.
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