Maternal and Child Health Research
Multiple-drug involvement in overdose deaths has risen in NC
October 14, 2021 Between 2015 and 2019, North Carolina saw an increase in overdose deaths that involved multiple drugs, highlighting the rapidly changing nature of drug overdoses in the state.
UNC awarded $11.7 million to help providers improve HPV vaccine communication, uptake among adolescents
October 6, 2021 Provider recommendations are key to increasing HPV vaccination rates. A new $11.7 million research initiative, led by UNC Gillings researchers, will equip health care providers with the support necessary to communicate about HPV vaccines more effectively.
Gillings students propose framework for addressing health disparities in US maternal mortality
October 1, 2021 Five students in the Population Health for Clinicians concentration collaborated on a publication that creates a model for understanding and addressing determinants that contribute to maternal mortality in the United States.
Partner resistance affects contraceptive use in Kenya
September 21, 2021 The resistance that male partners may have toward contraceptive use contributes to barriers in access for women and birthing people seeking family planning resources in Western Kenya.
NC Medicaid review suggests many infants with prenatal opioid exposure are born to those receiving treatment
September 9, 2021 A new study led by Dr. Anna Austin suggests that, among Medicaid patients in North Carolina, about half of infants with prenatal opioid exposure are born to people receiving medication for the treatment of opioid use disorder – and these babies are more likely to experience better outcomes after birth.
Crisis pregnancy centers come up short in providing access to information on pregnancy options
August 9, 2021 New findings from a study co-authored by maternal and child health researchers at the Gillings School and the University of California at San Francisco suggest that crisis pregnancy centers are not meeting the needs of people seeking information on abortion.
For Black Americans, strong family bonds are instrumental to increasing breastfeeding rates
May 20, 2021 To improve breastfeeding rates among Black Americans, Dr. Alexis Woods Barr and graduate student Jacquana Smith have co-authored studies examining the role intergenerational family support networks have in infant feeding practices. This understanding can help shape more empathetic and culturally mindful approaches to public health messaging.
Little known about needs of people who experience menopause while incarcerated
April 26, 2021 Without necessary care and support, those who experience menopause while incarcerated face significant challenges that can contribute to increased distress and compound existing systems of injustice, according to the results of a pilot study led by maternal child and health alumna Elana Jaffe.
Chalachala works to improve maternal health and family planning in the DRC
April 6, 2021 Jean Lambert Chalachala has a calling: to improve the human condition. As a clinician and public health expert, the Gillings School alumnus has found ample opportunities to do just that – working in surgery, hospital administration, epidemic and crisis management, lactation support, family planning and more.
The next generation of public health leaders must focus on human rights
March 4, 2021 Twelve students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill teamed up to publish a perspective in the American Journal of Public Health about why and how they — the next generation of public health leaders — must center human rights in their work.
