Key Objectives:
This discussion will outline lessons learned from a joint project between the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), Division of Reproductive Health, CDC and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Facilitators will discuss ways in which states translated collaboration theories into practice, and share lessons learned and tools that were developed as a result of this project and can be applied by public health practitioners and institutions.
Brief Summary:
In 2012 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) program partnered with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) to enhance the surveillance system and increase representation of hard-to-reach populations in Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, and New Mexico. The objectives of this project were to mobilize state level partnerships in reaching women and increasing their participation in PRAMS, and to evaluate WKKF’s maternal and child health (MCH) programs across the four states. The aforementioned states worked closely with WKKF partners and other local, state, and national actors to enhance MCH epidemiology and surveillance capacity. In this session, facilitators will address the need, utility, as well as success and challenges of private/public partnerships in collecting reliable MCH surveillance data. Experiences of Mississippi and New Mexico PRAMS will be shared, both states that fostered non-traditional partnerships in surveying hard to reach populations.
- Mississippi PRAMS oversampled African American women in selected counties including the Delta region. Eight focus groups were conducted in these counties with the target women. Findings highlighted the importance of using trusted community members to call selected mothers (prompt call) and encourage participation. In addition, program staff updated mailing and visibility materials based on focus group feedback. Participants will discuss success and challenges in partnering with community members and outline the benefits of direct outreach through prompt calls to increase survey participation.
- New Mexico PRAMS partnered with Tribal Epidemiology Centers and Community Health Representatives (CHRs) (promotoras) to provide effective and timely follow up to Native American women selected to participate in the PRAMS survey. This was coupled with new outreach methods including hard copy survey hand delivery and piloting Automated Computer Assisted Interviews (ACASI) to rural communities. Facilitators will discuss the importance of this partnership and new methodologies in increasing survey participation.