Improving perinatal care use and quality for Indigenous and low-income women through system-wide changes
Official title: Strengthening perinatal healthcare utilization and quality of care for Indigenous and low socioeconomic status women through systems change: integrating person, provider, and policy perspectives.
Funded at Avera Mckennan · NIH-11381585 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to find practical ways to help American Indian and low-income women get better, more reliable perinatal care in a Northern Plains community.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Avera Mckennan NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Sioux Falls, United States) |
| Project start | August 17, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,127,117 |
| NIH project number | 5U54HD113179-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11381585 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants include American Indian women and low-income pregnant or recently postpartum individuals in the Northern Plains region, as well as health system stakeholders and policymakers involved in perinatal care.
✕Less likely to help
The study focuses on system-level changes and may not directly benefit individuals outside the target communities or those not engaged in perinatal care.
What this research studies
Researchers will build a community-based system dynamics model to map how people, clinicians, and policy decisions influence the use and quality of perinatal care. The goal is to identify which barriers and facilitators most strongly affect care uptake and care quality, and to test actionable changes that could reduce maternal morbidity. The work combines patient experiences, health system dynamics, and policy considerations to prioritize feasible improvements. Findings are intended to guide real-world actions by communities, clinics, and decision-makers.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could reveal the most impactful levers to improve perinatal care use and quality, potentially reducing maternal complications for AI and low-income women.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that system dynamics and community-engaged approaches can illuminate effective care improvements, though this project tailors methods to AI communities and specific barriers.
Where this research is happening
-
Avera Mckennan
Sioux Falls, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Deutsch, Arielle R. — Avera Mckennan
- Study coordinator: Deutsch, Arielle R.
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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.