Florida A&M University News September 30, 2015 Black Infant Mortality Soars in Capital County Many were shocked to learn that the infant mortality rate in Leon County rose in 2014. Part of the reason for the astonishment is that the statistic contradicted the region's profile with its good quality of life, the benefit of two major universities, an above average public school system, and a very low unemployment rate. But more disconcerting for some, was the fact that the infant deaths showed a sharp contrast between African Americans and Whites. African-American babies died at nearly four times the rate of White babies revealing that the Black infant mortality rate had more than doubled in a year. While the White infant mortality rate decreased by 2 percent, the high rate of death among African-American babies caused an increase county-wide. Leon County's 2014 overall rate was 7.1 deaths per 1,000 live births, which represents an increase of 1.8 from 2013. The state of Florida has a 6.0 overall rate. In Leon County, the mortality rate for White births decreased from 5.1 in 2013 to 3.1 in 2014. Meanwhile, the Black infant mortality rate locally jumped to 11.7 in 2014 from 4.8 in 2013. The statewide rate was 11.0 for Black infants. Last year, 22 infants died in Leon County, including five White children and 15 Black children. During the same period, there were 3,085 live births, among them 1,616 White babies and 1,284 Black. What is the reason for the disturbing uptick?-a lack of education and access to vital and basic healthcare. African-American babies are suffering because they are not able to get the health care they need according to Tallahassee pediatrician Lionel Henry, M.D. "With the new health care laws, women are not getting health care as they should. A lot of doctors aren't taking Medicaid anymore," said Henry. "If women apply for special care or special needs, it's not being done," he said. According to Henry, stress and race are huge factors in the prenatal influence on the baby. "It has been shown that an African-American college-educated woman with a job still has a higher chance of having a premature baby than a Caucasian high school girl because of social and cultural differences like racism, which cause toxic stress," according to Esaias Lee, M.D., a family practitioner at the Neighborhood Medical Center. Many women do not receive the most basic prenatal care because they do not have transportation to the health facilities. But there are additional cultural impediments that complicate and stand in the way of a healthy environment for mother and child. "We are going to have to figure out as a community what we need to do to help young women who are pregnant have healthier pregnancies, said Lee. "We also need to have more sex education," he added. These factors are complicated by huge education gaps between African-American and White women, says Fran Close, Ph.D., an associate professor of Behavioral Science and Health Education at the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University's Institute of Public Health in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Close has tracked these disturbing statistics and is now researching methods to resolve the disparities. African-American women live with very high stress and discrimination that is the primary reason for the disparity. Part of the research effort involves working with community health organizations that are in contact with pregnant women who need help. The groups include Healthy Start and Whole Child Leon. But education remains the cure in efforts to control weight, hypertension, diabetes, and to reinforce the need for exercise and a healthy diet. Twelve out of 1,000 African-American babies die compared to 3 out of 1,000 White babies, according to Close. She says African-American mothers must take responsibility for their health and get prenatal examinations or run the risk of losing their precious infant. "Hopefully within this semester we are going to do some peer education training to educate our students here about preconception health," said Close. "That's the main thing having women know they need to be healthy so they can have a healthy baby." The disparity in the Black and White mortality rates reflects cultural and historical factors, said Claudia Blackburn, health officer of the Florida Department of Health in Leon County. "There are still issues in health equity that affect the African-American population disparately," said Blackburn. "That is, too many live in unsafe neighborhoods, don't have access to nutritious food or health care, and lack good educational opportunities." The issue of infant mortality, especially higher rates for African-Americans has long plagued Leon County. In response, community groups and health officials began collaborating to address the issue more than six years ago. Among the initiatives was the creation of a Community Advisory Council designed to give a united voice to two of the largest disadvantaged neighborhoods in Leon County - the Greater Frenchtown and Southside areas, according to Blackburn. There has been gradual progress. In 2013, the Black infant mortality rates plummeted to 4.8 from 15.7 in 2012. However, health officials cautioned then and now that rates representing a three-year period were a more accurate barometer of how a community performed in terms of the well-being of its infants. However, the latest spike in the Black infant mortality rates elicited criticism from some members of the community, including Edward Holifield, M.D., who said the disparity reflects a lack of concern among community leaders. "It feels like they don't care about poor Black people," Holifield said. "We have to make sure these babies have a fair chance." Leading the charge in providing hope for African-American mothers are groups like Capital Area Healthy Start Coalition. The organization has launched initiatives that give women classes on everything from preventing unplanned pregnancies to dealing with health issues. "We are actively looking for solutions to this ongoing problem," said Executive Director Kristy Goldwire. "It's important that women start being healthy before getting pregnant. There are many infant deaths that can be prevented by having more healthy mothers." Goldwire said infant death can happen in any situation, but there are factors that disproportionately affect African-Americans - hypertension, diabetes, and obesity combined with social elements, such as stress and the effects of racism. When you add income disparity, it becomes a combustible mix that causes increasing Black infant mortality rates, Goldwire warned. Healthcare officials in Leon County have acknowledged the problem and want the community to know they can help as well. "Through our community action, we are working on these issues that require changes in will and action by the entire community," Blackburn said. "When one of us is in need, none of us can be whole." For more information on infant death rates, go to FloridaCharts.com SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-702-5854 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.