Academic-Community Partnership to Address Maternal and Child Health in Allegheny

描述（由申请人提供）：该项目的目的是在匹兹堡大学和当地社区组织之间建立与妇幼保健有关的伙伴关系，以便：(1)建立一个由大学研究人员和社区组织组成的咨询委员会；(2)向社区成员提供有关非裔美国人健康问题的信息；(3)更好地了解社区成员认为研究人员需要研究的最重要的健康问题；(4)与曾与本地社区组织进行以社区为基础的参与性研究的大学教员订立正式协议（谅解备忘录），以便我们向他们学习；(5)与至少一个有兴趣与大学合作开展以社区为基础的参与性研究（CBPR）项目的当地社区组织签订谅解备忘录，该项目与妇幼保健有关。作为一个研究团队，我们最感兴趣的是孕产妇和儿童健康问题，如怀孕期间和产后的亲密伴侣暴力；亲密伴侣暴力对妇女生殖健康和妊娠结局的影响；以及与意外怀孕有关的亲密伴侣暴力。然而，我们也非常有兴趣听到社区成员认为这一领域的重要问题，以及他们认为应该优先进行研究调查的其他健康问题。除了与社区组织的伙伴关系外，进一步加强该项目的是，它建立在少数民族健康中心多年来的社区参与以及公共卫生研究生院与阿勒格尼县卫生局之间的牢固关系的基础上。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of this project is to establish a partnership, related to maternal and child health, between the University of Pittsburgh and local community organizations to: (1) establish an Advisory Board consisting of both University researchers and community organizations; (2) provide health information to community members about issues that affect African Americans; (3) to get a better understanding of what community members believe are the most important health issues for research investigators to study; (4) to develop a formal agreement (Memorandum of Understanding/ MOU) with University faculty members who have previous experience in conducting Community-based Participatory Research with local community organizations so that we can learn from them; and (5) to develop a MOU with at least one local community organization interested in partnering with the University to conduct a Community- Based Participatory Research (CBPR) project related to maternal and child health. As a research team, we are most interested in maternal and child health issues such as intimate partner violence during pregnancy and postpartum; the impact of intimate partner violence on women's reproductive health and pregnancy outcome; and intimate partner violence associated with unintended pregnancy. However, we are also very interested in hearing what community members believe are the important issues in this area as well as what other health issues they believe should be priorities for research investigation. What further strengthens this project, in addition to the partnership with community organizations, is that it builds on years of community engagement by the Center for Minority Health and a strong relationship between the Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH) and the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD). PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Issues related to prematurity and its associated complications of persisting physical or mental, cognitive disabilities for some children (subsequently adults) remain a national focus. Women who experience interpersonal partner violence are more likely to begin their care late or describe their pregnancy as unwanted or unplanned; and a woman with an unwanted pregnancy is less likely to look after herself or attend regular prenatal appointments. This project will address pregnancy and violence through Community Based Participatory Research.