| The Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) works to address the state’s maternal and child health status in multiple ways.
This includes a Maternal and Child Health Student Interest Group, established in 2021, which trains the next generation of maternal and child health experts.
“It is important that students are exposed to maternal and child health content and learn how to make a difference in Arkansas,” said Alex Marshall, Ph.D., MPH, associate professor and chair of the Department of Health Behavior and health education at the college. “We want students to receive a multifaceted opportunity to learn about Arkansas’ gaps in maternal and child health and try to help solve them.
“As a result, students in the group have access to guest speakers and different community service activities. We have a book club component which also gives students the chance to read and discuss various published articles and books on these issues.
The organization is a byproduct of the ministry that received a catalyst grant from the MCH Health Resources and Services Administration. A portion of the funding helps educate future leaders in maternal and child health through special course offerings, the college’s MCH certificate program, student interest group, and connecting students with maternal and child health advocates.
Ariel Morrow and Aya Kondo are among the college students who joined the group. As Black women in particular, both aspire to address maternal and child health. Data shows that situations dangerous to maternal and child health affect black women at an abnormally high rate.
“I aspire to become a physician-scientist specializing in reproductive health sciences,” Kondo said. “I am currently in the second year of my Masters in Public Health program with a double specialization in epidemiology and maternal and child health. Much of what led me down this path is the passion I have for reproductive health issues, particularly as they apply to Black births. Because Arkansas has the highest black maternal mortality rate in the country, I take every opportunity I can to learn about reproductive health issues and initiatives that can help combat the epidemic.
“I’ve always had an interest in maternal and child health,” said Morrow, a doctoral student. “I myself have a personal story when it comes to women’s health. In today’s political climate, where existing policies make it difficult for women to meet their vital health needs, it is more important than ever to address these issues and remove barriers to access to health care. It is important to ensure that there is widespread awareness about the impact of lack of access to healthcare on women’s decision-making abilities. Therefore, we are working to raise widespread awareness of the impact of these issues on women and children, particularly black women.
As a teenager, Morrow was diagnosed with endometriosis. Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue grows outside the uterus. This can cause severe pain in the pelvis and make it more difficult for a woman to get pregnant.
Alex Marshall, (right) Ph.D., MPH, president of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, listens to a commentary during of a conference on mother and child Health student interest group meeting. Meanwhile, Ariel Morrow (left) also listens.
Morrow will never forget the recommendation she received to fight this disease.
“When I was 16, I was offered a hysterectomy – and I was just a teenager,” she said. “I look back on this situation and can’t help but reflect on the historical injustices that countless black women have had to endure. Could this be one of the descendants of this heritage? There is still a legacy of prejudice that is alive and well today. It doesn’t have to be that way. Let’s right the wrongs and fight against medical bias, insensitive recommendations and stigma related to the abuse that black women have had to endure in medicine.
Kondo had a family member who almost died giving birth. She often thinks about this situation and how no one should have to endure this kind of mental and physical distress.
“Several Black people I live with have had issues related to their birth experiences and even their reproductive health in general,” she said. “As a black woman, I am incredibly aware of the issues I could face if reproduction was something I ever chose to do with my body. Reproductive health is not just about being pregnant, however. Like many people whose bodies are pregnant, my hormonal and mental health are currently affected by my reproductive health, and this is more important to my current quality of life than whether or not I choose to have children.
Addressing disparities in maternal and child health must be a unified and participatory movement. This is why any student attending one of the UAMS colleges can join the group.
“Maternal and child health affects everyone,” Morrow said. “We all come from a biological mother, whose mitochondrial DNA we carry within us. This is a major call to action for more than one college or segment of society. If we want to improve the situation, we need to raise awareness and work together.
“Through this organization, we promote the idea that all UAMS students care by providing them with the support and skills they need to help improve health outcomes for women and children of their community. »
Including a wide range of ideas, lived experiences and academic backgrounds adds another layer of value to the student group, Kondo said.
“Medicine and public health should and must coexist,” Morrow said.
“Health care and medical science as a whole are not static,” Kondo added. “It’s not just one thing. Public health is not just one thing. Maternal and child health is not just one thing. I think diversity in terms of the number of different students involved in the group is critical to the future of maternal and child health in Arkansas.
“As future leaders, changemakers and professionals in the healthcare field, the participation of UAMS students from all backgrounds in this group is extremely important.”
Creating a sense of cohesion among the next generation of maternal and child health advocates is part of the organization’s mission. This is also one of the main reasons why Kondo joined the group.
“I am excited to connect with my peers about the work they are doing and the dreams they have for improving maternal and child health,” she said. “I look forward to learning from guest speakers who are doing different types of work related to reproductive health.” I am also looking forward to participating in the volunteer opportunities that will be available through the group.
Morrow said being part of the organization opened a path for her to help women, especially those from underrepresented and remote communities. She is grateful for the opportunity to help fill the resource gap.
“Members of rural and underserved communities too often face challenges related to social determinants of health, such as lack of access to health care, lack of health insurance, lack of income, low quality and low levels of education or lack of necessary resources available to help them adequately meet and support their health care, overall health and well-being needs,” she said.
Marshall enjoys working with students to establish better standards for maternal and child health in Arkansas. The group’s growth is one of the things that gives her hope that Arkansas’ maternal and child health status will continue to improve.
“Every year we have a good number of students involved in the organization,” she said. “What’s important about maternal and child health is that it intersects with medicine, public health and nursing, in various ways. Arkansas ranks near the bottom when it comes to maternal and child health disparities. There is no need to train the next generation of professionals who will attempt to solve these problems.