Examining health disparities in mothers and newborns based on race, ethnicity, and disability in the U.S.
Official title: Evaluating maternal and newborn health inequities at the intersection of race, ethnicity, and disability in the U.S
Funded at Dartmouth College · NIH-11041054 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how race, ethnicity, and disability affect the health of mothers and their babies, aiming to find out why some groups experience more problems like low birth weight and infant death, so we can help improve health outcomes for those who need it most.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dartmouth College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hanover, United States) |
| Project start | July 28, 2023 |
| Project end | February 29, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $136,350 |
| NIH project number | 5K01MD018638-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11041054 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include pregnant individuals with disabilities, particularly those from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have disabilities or are not part of racial or ethnic minority groups may not benefit directly from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the health outcomes of mothers and newborns, particularly focusing on how race, ethnicity, and disability intersect to create disparities. It aims to analyze data from Medicaid claims and birth records to understand the rates of adverse outcomes such as low birth weight and infant mortality among different groups. By identifying the extent of these disparities, the research seeks to inform effective interventions that can improve maternal and newborn health for marginalized populations. The approach emphasizes the social determinants of health to provide a comprehensive view of the issues at hand.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to targeted interventions that significantly improve maternal and newborn health outcomes for disadvantaged groups.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has indicated that addressing social determinants of health can lead to improved outcomes, suggesting that this approach may yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Dartmouth College
Hanover, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dev, Alka — Dartmouth College
- Study coordinator: Dev, Alka
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Adaptive e-learning and smartphones to improve newborn and child care in Tanzania
A new program uses smart devices and tailored online learning to help frontline health workers in Mwanza, Tanzania provide better care for newborns and young children.
-
NoviGuide for Newborn Care in Pakistan
A small NIH grant to test a pocket-sized decision support tool for nurses and doctors to improve newborn care in Pakistan.
-
Newborn screening: using gene and metabolite data to refine true vs false positives
A study using genetic and metabolomic data from newborn blood spots to better distinguish real metabolic disorders from false alarms.
-
Evidence-based practices for managing neonatal hypothermia in newborn nurseries
A doctor-led project will study how common newborn hypothermia affects babies in US nurseries and develop trusted guidelines to improve care.
-
Sex differences in language impairment and services for children and adults
A study examines why girls with language impairment may receive fewer speech services than boys and what that means for treatment.
-
How COVID school closures affected kids with or at risk for developmental differences
This NIH grant follows children aged 4 to 15 and their families to see how pandemic school closures impacted emotional well-being and parenting over three years.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.