Understanding and improving health factors affecting pregnant Black women
Official title: Identifying and Addressing Social Determinants of Health in Pregnant Women
Funded at Poisera, INC. · NIH-10815313 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is creating a friendly mobile app to help Black pregnant women by chatting about their unique needs and challenges, so they can get better support and care during their pregnancy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 1 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Poisera, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | August 13, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $443,887 |
| NIH project number | 1R43MD019166-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10815313 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are Black pregnant women who may be experiencing social, economic, or environmental challenges affecting their health.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not pregnant or those who do not identify as Black may not receive benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on identifying and addressing the social determinants of health that significantly impact Black pregnant women. It aims to develop a mobile health app that utilizes personalized and culturally competent chatbot conversations to screen for and address these social needs. By understanding the economic, social, and environmental factors that contribute to health disparities, the project seeks to empower clinicians and improve trust between healthcare providers and patients. The approach includes monitoring maternal mood disorders and providing tailored support to enhance overall maternal health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved health outcomes for Black pregnant women by addressing the root causes of health disparities.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown success in using technology to address health disparities, making this approach promising yet innovative.
Where this research is happening
-
Poisera, INC.
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kerppola, Marianna — Poisera, INC.
- Study coordinator: Kerppola, Marianna
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Integrated biomarker study of metabolic syndrome in pregnant women with HIV on DTG-based ART
Researchers will look for biological signs in pregnant women with HIV on a DTG-based regimen to understand why weight gain and metabolic problems happen and how these affect pregnancy.
-
Biomarker profiling to understand metabolic syndrome in pregnant women with HIV on DTG-based ART
This project looks at why some pregnant women living with HIV on a common DTG-based therapy gain weight or develop metabolic problems, by studying their proteins and metabolites across four sites in the US and Nigeria.
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.