The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies will be taking part in a number of events associated with the 139th Annual Meeting and Exposition of the American Public Health Association (APHA) October 29—November 2, 2011, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC.  This year’s APHA meeting, with the theme, “Healthy Communities Promote Healthy Minds and Bodies,” takes place in the wake of the Joint Center Health Policy Institute’s PLACE MATTERS National Conference, held on September 7, 2011, which addressed the relationship between place and health as it relates to racial and ethnic health inequities. You are invited to stop by the Joint Center’s booth, take in one or more of several sessions where we will make presentations, and join us at a special reception.

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The Commission on Paternal Involvement in Pregnancy Outcomes, which is convened by Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and the Joint Center Health Policy Institute, issued policy, research and practice recommendations in a report, Commission Outlook: Best and Promising Practices for Improving Research, Policy and Practice on Paternal Involvement in Pregnancy Outcomes. The recommendations are intended to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in pregnancy outcomes by offering best and promising practices to address policy barriers and increase the involvement of men and expectant fathers in family planning, preconception health and care, reproductive health, maternal and child health research and clinical practice.

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WASHINGTON — Single parenthood is never an ideal situation. In African-American communities, it is an epidemic that puts children on a disparate path even before they are born. Studies show that 70 percent of African-American children are born to unmarried mothers and 40 percent of all children, regardless of race, live in homes without fathers. As a nation, the United States ranks 28th among developed countries in infant mortality rates, which is 50 percent higher than the 2010 rate predicted in 2000 of 4.5 infant deaths per 1,000 live births.

 The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies’ Commission on Paternal Involvement in Pregnancy Outcomes (CPIPO) released a report this week on fathers’ influence on child health and development. CPIPO aims to improve paternal involvement by “reframing debates and informing research, policy and practice” to encourage and support increased involvement by expectant fathers. Its goals also include identifying barriers that prevent men from being more involved and finding options to overcome them and developing a national media strategy to promote a more active male role. The center, whose research largely focuses on African-Americans and other peoples of color, held a report briefing on Capitol Hill on Thursday.

Rhis article was previously available at diverseeducation.com.

To better understand the issues and to inform its deliberation in formulating recommendations for policy, research, and practice, the Infant Mortality Commission asked experts in various fields related to maternal and child health and infant mortality to prepare background papers on specific issues. This background paper examines the impact of stress and stress mediators on pregnancy outcomes for African American women. The report also examines social support and other relational experiences and makes recommendations for related changes in public policy and maternal and child health practices. This analysis complements and reinforces the recommendations of other Courage to Love: Infant Mortality Commission background and framing papers on infant mortality and resilience; the role of breastfeeding in maternal and infant health; the historical framework of policies and practices to reduce infant mortality; the authentic voices of those affected by infant mortality; and infant mortality in a global context.

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To better understand the issues and to inform its deliberation in formulating recommendations for policy, research, and practice, the Infant Mortality Commission asked experts in various fields related to maternal and child health and infant mortality to prepare background papers on specific issues. This background paper seeks to expand our understanding of the causes and effects of infant mortality within a broader global context. It offers comparisons between infant mortality in the U.S. and in other nations across the globe, providing a compassionate examination of the impact of social and economic inequalities on population health and infant mortality. The author concludes with policy recommendations to help mitigate or eliminate the inequalities that contribute to infant mortality. This analysis complements and reinforces the recommendations of other Courage to Love: Infant Mortality Commission background and framing papers on infant mortality and maternal nutrition; infant mortality and resilience; the role of breastfeeding in maternal and infant health; the historical framework of policies and practices to reduce infant mortality; and the authentic voices of those affected by infant mortality.

Available in PDF Format Only.

To download this publication, click the file icon below.