Does it Take a Village? : Exploring the impact of community-based organizations on black maternal health outcomes Open Access

Abstract

The United States has grappled with a notable black maternal health crisis, particularly gaining attention in the last decade, especially after the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement. This movement shed light on systemic racism within the United States (U.S.), spotlighting the intersection of black health and lives with oppressive systems. While the significance of community has long been ingrained in black populations, society is now recognizing the vital role of community-based organizations in addressing challenges such as black maternal health disparities. This paper will aim to explore how community-based organizations impact black maternal health outcomes. 

The study consists of quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate the impact of community-based organizations. Interviews were conducted with members of community-based organizations that focus on black maternal health, where there were conversations about the work that CBOs do for black mothers, along with some of the experiences and challenges they have faced within the black maternal health field.  In addition to the interviews, a website content analysis was conducted on black maternal health organizations' websites to understand their available resources and their accessibility to their populations. These two methods revealed how community-based organizations contribute to the black maternal health field and the challenges they face. It also highlighted areas for potential improvement and ways to create better support for CBOs and black mothers. 

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Abstract..........................................................................................................................................................4

Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................9

Background Literature .................................................................................................................................12

Black Maternal Mortality and Morbidity.................................................................................................12

Community-Based Research in the U.S. ..................................................................................................15

Research on CBOs/CBIs in Sub-Saharan Africa........................................................................................18 Methods.......................................................................................................................................................20

Content Analysis......................................................................................................................................20

In-depth Interviews..................................................................................................................................21

Data Analysis............................................................................................................................................23 Results..........................................................................................................................................................24

Website Content Analysis........................................................................................................................24

Interviews ................................................................................................................................................33

Education .............................................................................................................................................34 Advocacy..............................................................................................................................................36

Resource Distribution & Access...........................................................................................................39

Community Creation & Nourishment..................................................................................................41

Funding & Support...............................................................................................................................43

Discussion ....................................................................................................................................................49

The present study ....................................................................................................................................49

Conclusion....................................................................................................................................................56

Limitations ...............................................................................................................................................58

Future Directions.....................................................................................................................................59

Poem: A Love Letter to Black Mothers....................................................................................................60

Literature .....................................................................................................................................................61

Appendix ......................................................................................................................................................66

Abbreviation List..........................................................................................................................................67

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Sociology
Degree	B.A.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	African American Studies Health Sciences, Public Health Sociology, Organizational
Keyword	weathering framework grounded theory approach black maternal health community-based organizations community-based interventions black maternal health organizations
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Dr. Rachel Hall-Clifford, Emory University
Committee Members	Dr. Karida Brown, Emory University Dr. Andrea Fitzroy, Emory University

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