Empowered Black Women: Reducing Maternal Mortality through Awareness and Self-Advocacy

Presentation ID #03: Click here for more information.

Purpose: To educate African American (AA) college aged women on the importance of choosing healthy behaviors to promote health and prevent complications that may occur in the future following childbirth.

Background: AA women are 2.5 times more likely to die during the postpartum period than white women, with the majority of deaths attributed to cardiovascular complications.

Methods: Convenience sample of college aged AA female students. Participants completed an online educational module with pre and post surveys delivered by Qualtrics to assess for an increase in confidence levels related to personal choice of health promoting behaviors. The use of an online educational module as a means to promote health was assessed.

Results: Five participants viewed the online module with 3 of 5 fully completing (60%). Following the presentation, two participants showed an increase in confidence in choosing beneficial health behaviors from “somewhat agree” to “strongly agree” (66.6%). One participant reported an increase in confidence in advocating for their healthcare needs from “somewhat agree” to “strongly agree” (33.3%). All participants answered that they would like to see more similar resources available to students (100%).

Conclusion: Participants found the module beneficial with an increase in confidence in choosing healthy behaviors. Educational modules could be a resource for UNC C student populations to promote wellness in the future and should be explored. Promoting the use of healthy behaviors in AA women before pregnancy may help to reduce maternal mortality rates in the future.

Hello! My name is Kendall Waugh and I am a senior in my final semester of nursing school at UNC Charlotte. My clinical interests include women’s health, mental health, as well as community health. Following graduation, I will be entering into Novant’s Women’s Health Nurse Residency Program at Forsyth Medical Center in Winston Salem, North Carolina. My future aspirations include continuing research for reduction in maternal mortality as well as reduction of other postpartum complications, including postpartum depression.