Improving health for mothers and young children in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The University of North Carolina-Kinshasa School of Public Health Research Partnership in the Democratic Republic of Congo; a Model for Improving Women's and Children's Health Through Research
This partnership tries out practical, low-cost care approaches to help pregnant women, newborns, and young children in the DRC.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11370981 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I join, the UNC and Kinshasa School of Public Health team will work in clinics and communities across rural, peri-urban, and urban areas to offer and study improved care for mothers and children. They will follow pregnant women and children over time, collect health and growth measurements, and may offer interventions in routine care settings. The work uses clinical trials, epidemiology, and implementation science to see which affordable practices work best locally. Local health workers and facilities are involved so successful approaches can be scaled within the DRC health system.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are pregnant women, newborns, and young children and their families who receive care at participating clinics or live in the DRC communities where the partnership works.
Not a fit: People who live outside the participating DRC areas or who are not pregnant and do not care for young children would likely not be eligible or benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reduce maternal and newborn deaths and improve child growth and survival by bringing proven, affordable practices into local care.
How similar studies have performed: Related community- and clinic-based interventions in other low-resource countries have sometimes cut maternal and newborn deaths, and this partnership builds on that prior experience while adapting methods for the DRC.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bauserman, Melissa Schweikhart — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Bauserman, Melissa Schweikhart
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 below.