Maternal health

Completed Projects

Listed by project completion date. You can also view these projects alphabetically.

Characteristics of Buprenorphine Therapy Among Commercially-Insured Pregnant and Postpartum Women
This project analyzed claims from a national commercial insurance database to characterize buprenorphine therapy initiation persistence and adherence among pregnant and postpartum women with opioid use disorder (OUD) and assessed differences in buprenorphine OUD treatment characteristics among rural and urban pregnant/postpartum women.
Research center: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
Topics: Healthcare access, Maternal health, Substance use and treatment

How are Rural Health Clinics Serving Pediatric and Obstetrical Medicaid Populations?
This project examined the roles of independent and provider-based Rural Health Clinics in serving pediatric and obstetrical patients covered by state Medicaid programs.
Research center: Maine Rural Health Research Center
Topics: Children and adolescents, Health services, Healthcare financing, Maternal health, Medicaid and CHIP, Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), Women

Overcoming Barriers to Providing Rural Obstetrical Training for Physicians
Rural communities struggle to maintain obstetrical (OB) services, due in part to scarce rural training opportunities for obstetricians and family physicians. This study described the availability, characteristics, and output of residency and fellowship programs offering rural OB training and identified solutions to support this training.
Research center: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Topics: Healthcare access, Maternal health, Physicians, Women, Workforce

A Current Examination of HIV and Hepatitis C in Rural Counties
Using data from federal and state sources, we produced a chartbook on county-level data on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence and acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) incidence, examined the availability of Ryan White HIV/AIDS medical providers and other HIV and HCV treatment/testing services across the rural-urban continuum, and estimated county-level prevalence of maternal HCV infection.
Research center: Maine Rural Health Research Center
Topics: Maternal health, Mental and behavioral health, Substance use and treatment

The Supply and Rural-Urban Distribution of the Obstetrical Care Workforce in the U.S.
This project will use multiple data sources to characterize the distribution of the obstetrical care workforce in the U.S., comparing health professional-to-population ratios in rural and urban areas. Health professionals examined in this study include obstetricians, family physicians, and certified nurse midwives.
Research center: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Topics: Healthcare access, Maternal health, Physicians, Workforce

Changes in U.S. Rural Perinatal and Infant Health Care During the Last Decade
This study examined changes in rates of adverse birth outcomes and prenatal care among rural Americans during two time periods. The study used national data from the Linked Birth Death Data Sets to assess differences in low birth weight, neonatal death, post neonatal mortality and inadequate prenatal care.
Research center: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Topics: Children and adolescents, Maternal health

Declining Access to Hospital-based Obstetric Services in Rural Areas: Causes and Impact
This study examines the declining availability of hospital-based obstetric services in rural areas from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s. It examines potential causes for this trend and explores the effects of medical malpractice reforms.
Research center: NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Topics: Hospitals and clinics, Legislation and regulation, Maternal health, Women

Analysis of the Cesarean Section Rates in Rural Hospitals
This project will describe the practice patterns for deliveries in rural hospitals. Cesarean section rates in rural hospitals will be compared to urban hospitals and the national rate.
Research center: North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
Topics: Hospitals and clinics, Maternal health

Are Rural Perinatal Care Systems Deregionalizing?
Research center: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Topics: Children and adolescents, Health services, Maternal health