The Massachusetts Racial Equity Data Road Map: Data as a Tool Toward Ending Structural Racism.

BACKGROUND: In 2015, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) adopted a Title V maternal and child health priority to "promote health and racial equity by addressing racial justice and reducing disparities." A survey assessing staff capacity to support this priority identified data collection and use as opportunities for improvement. In response, MDPH initiated a quality improvement project to improve use of data for action to promote racial equity. METHODS: MDPH conducted value stream mapping to understand existing processes for using data to inform racial equity work. Key informant interviews and a survey of program directors identified challenges to using data to promote racial equity. MDPH used a cause-and-effect diagram to identify and organize challenges to using data to inform racial equity work and better understand opportunities for improvement and potential solutions. RESULTS: Key informants highlighted the need to consider structural factors and historical and community contexts when interpreting data. Program directors noted limited staff time, lack of performance metrics, competing priorities, low data quality, and unclear expectations as challenges. To address the identified challenges, the team identified potential solutions and prioritized development and piloting of the MDPH Racial Equity Data Road Map (Road Map). CONCLUSIONS: The Road Map framework provides strategies for data collection and use that support the direction of actionable data-driven resources to racial inequities. The Road Map is a resource to support programs to authentically engage communities; frame data in the broader contexts that impact health; and design solutions that address root causes. With this starting point, public health systems can work toward creating data-driven programs and policies to improve racial equity.

Disparities in Opioid Overdose Death Trends by Race/Ethnicity, 2018-2019, From the HEALing Communities Study.

Objectives. To examine trends in opioid overdose deaths by race/ethnicity from 2018 to 2019 across 67 HEALing Communities Study (HCS) communities in Kentucky, New York, Massachusetts, and Ohio. Methods. We used state death certificate records to calculate opioid overdose death rates per 100 000 adult residents of the 67 HCS communities for 2018 and 2019. We used Poisson regression to calculate the ratio of 2019 to 2018 rates. We compared changes by race/ethnicity by calculating a ratio of rate ratios (RRR) for each racial/ethnic group compared with non-Hispanic White individuals. Results. Opioid overdose death rates were 38.3 and 39.5 per 100 000 for 2018 and 2019, respectively, without a significant change from 2018 to 2019 (rate ratio = 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.98, 1.08). We estimated a 40% increase in opioid overdose death rate for non-Hispanic Black individuals (RRR = 1.40; 95% CI = 1.22, 1.62) relative to non-Hispanic White individuals but no change among other race/ethnicities. Conclusions. Overall opioid overdose death rates have leveled off but have increased among non-Hispanic Black individuals. Public Health Implications. An antiracist public health approach is needed to address the crisis of opioid-related harms. (Am J Public Health. 2021;111(10):1851-1854. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306431).

Using Infant Mortality Data to Improve Maternal and Child Health Programs: An Application of Statistical Process Control Techniques for Rare Events.

Introduction The infant mortality rate (IMR) in the United States remains higher than most developed countries. To understand this public health issue and support state public health departments in displaying and analyzing data in ways that support learning, states participating in the Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network to Reduce Infant Mortality (IM CoIIN) created statistical process control (SPC) charts for rare events. Methods State vital records data on live births and infant deaths was used to create U, T and G charts for Kansas and Alaska, two states participating in the IM CoIIN who sought methods to more effectively analyze IMR for subsets of their populations with infrequent number of deaths. The IMR and the number of days and number of births between infant deaths was charted for Kansas Non-Hispanic black population and six Alaska regions for the time periods 2013-2016 and 2011-2016, respectively. Established empirical patterns indicated points of special cause variation. Results The T and G charts for Kansas and G charts for Alaska depict points outside the upper control limit. These points indicate special cause variation and an increased number of days and/or births between deaths at these time periods. Discussion T and G charts offer value in examining rare events, and indicate special causes not detectable by U charts or other more traditional analytic methods. When small numbers make traditional analysis challenging, SPC has potential in the MCH field to better understand potential drivers of improvements in rare outcomes, inform decision making and take interventions to scale.

Appropriate Use of Progesterone to Prevent Preterm Birth: Approaches to Measurement for Driving Improvement.

Introduction Despite strong evidence supporting the benefit of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17P) in preventing recurrent preterm birth, this treatment still does not reach most eligible patients. This study sought to identify approaches to measuring the appropriate use of 17P, with the goal of helping health systems better monitor and improve the implementation of this intervention. Methods Semi-structured telephone interviews were used to gather data on measures for 17P use being developed and implemented by state team members participating in the Infant Mortality Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network (IM CoIIN)-a national quality improvement initiative. Strengths and limitations of these measurement approaches were described. Results Six approaches to measuring 17P use to prevent preterm birth were identified: practice-level data, population-based surveys, three measures employing insurance claims with or without linked birth certificate data, and revised birth certificates. Each measure had particular strengths and limitations. Practice-level measures were useful in rapid-cycle improvement, but were not generalizable across sites. In contrast, population-based measures (i.e., surveys, claims) were useful for broad comparisons, but were limited in their timeliness, and in how accurately they identified candidates who were truly eligible for 17P. Additionally, such measures required complex data linkage and analytic capabilities. Discussion A variety of imperfect measures for the appropriate use of 17P are available. No "best" measure was identified-the optimal measurement option must fit the specific needs of a health agency. Better data infrastructure and harnessing information from integrated electronic health records could improve the quality of 17P use measurement for improvement efforts.

Multiple marginalized identities: A qualitative exploration of intersectional perinatal experiences of birthing people of color with substance use disorder in Massachusetts.

INTRODUCTION: Racial and ethnic inequities persist in receipt of prenatal care, mental health services, and addiction treatment for pregnant and postpartum individuals with substance use disorder (SUD). Further qualitative work is needed to understand the intersectionality of racial and ethnic discrimination, stigma related to substance use, and gender bias on perinatal SUD care from the perspectives of affected individuals. METHODS: Peer interviewers conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with recently pregnant people of color with SUD in Massachusetts to explore the impact of internalized, interpersonal, and structural racism on prenatal, birthing, and postpartum experiences. The study used a thematic analysis to generate the codebook and double coded transcripts, with an overall kappa coefficient of 0.89. Preliminary themes were triangulated with five participants to inform final theme development. RESULTS: The study includes 23 participants of diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds: 39% mixed race/ethnicity (including 9% with Native American ancestry), 30% Hispanic or Latinx, 26% Black/African American, 4% Asian. While participants frequently names racial and ethnic discrimination, both interpersonal and structural, as barriers to care, some participants attributed poor experiences to other marginalized identities and experiences, such as having a SUD. Three unique themes emerged from the participants' experiences: 1) Participants of color faced increased scrutiny and mistrust from clinicians and treatment programs; 2) Greater self-advocacy was required from individuals of color to counteract stereotypes and stigma; 3) Experiences related to SUD history and pregnancy status intersected with racism and gender bias to create distinct forms of discrimination. CONCLUSION: Pregnant and postpartum people of color affected by perinatal SUD faced pervasive mistrust and unequal standards of care from mostly white healthcare staff and treatment spaces, which negatively impacted their treatment access, addiction medication receipt, postpartum pain management, and ability to retain custody of their children. Key clinical interventions and policy changes identified by participants for antiracist action include personalizing anesthetic plans for adequate peripartum pain control, minimizing reproductive injustices in contraceptive counseling, and addressing misuse of toxicology testing to mitigate inequitable Child Protective Services (CPS) involvement and custody loss.

Assessment of Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Use of Medication to Treat Opioid Use Disorder Among Pregnant Women in Massachusetts.

Importance: Racial and ethnic disparities persist across key health and substance use treatment outcomes for mothers and infants. The use of medications, such as methadone or buprenorphine, for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) has been associated with improvements in the outcomes of mothers and infants; however, only half of all pregnant women with OUD receive these medications. The extent to which maternal race or ethnicity is associated with the use of medication to treat OUD, the duration of the use of medication to treat OUD, and the type of medication used to treat OUD during pregnancy are unknown. Objective: To examine the extent to which maternal race and ethnicity is associated with the use of medications for the treatment of OUD in the year before delivery among pregnant women with OUD. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study used a linked population-level statewide data set of pregnant women with OUD who delivered a live infant in Massachusetts between October 1, 2011, and December 31, 2015. Of 274 234 total deliveries identified, 5247 deliveries among women with indicators of having OUD were included in the analysis. Maternal race and ethnicity were defined as white non-Hispanic, black non-Hispanic, or Hispanic based on self-reported data on birth certificates. Main Outcomes and Measures: Main outcomes were the receipt of any medication for OUD, the consistency of the use of medication (at least 6 continuous months of use before delivery, inconsistent use, or no use) for the treatment of OUD, and the type of medication (methadone or buprenorphine) used to treat OUD. Multivariable models were adjusted for maternal sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, and any significant interactions between the covariates and race and ethnicity. Results: The sample included 5247 pregnant women with OUD who delivered a live infant in Massachusetts during the study period. The mean (SD) maternal age at delivery was 28.7 (5.0) years; 4551 women (86.7%) were white non-Hispanic, 462 women (8.8%) were Hispanic, and 234 women (4.5%) were black non-Hispanic. A total of 3181 white non-Hispanic women (69.9%) received any type of medication for the treatment of OUD in the year before delivery compared with 228 Hispanic women (49.4%) and 108 black non-Hispanic women (46.2%). Compared with white non-Hispanic women, black non-Hispanic and Hispanic women had a substantially lower likelihood (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.37; 95% CI, 0.28-0.49 and aOR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.35-0.52, respectively) of receiving any medication for the treatment of OUD. Stratification by maternal age identified greater disparities among younger women. Black non-Hispanic and Hispanic women also had a lower likelihood (aOR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.17-0.35 and aOR, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.27-0.44, respectively) of consistent use of medication for the treatment of OUD compared with white non-Hispanic women. With respect to the type of medication used to treat OUD, black non-Hispanic and Hispanic women had a lower likelihood (aOR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.40-0.90 and aOR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.58-1.01, respectively) than white non-Hispanic women of receiving buprenorphine treatment compared with methadone treatment. Conclusions and Relevance: This study found racial and ethnic disparities in the use of medications to treat OUD during pregnancy, with black non-Hispanic and Hispanic women significantly less likely to use medications consistently or at all compared with white non-Hispanic women. Further investigation of patient, clinician, treatment program, and system-level factors associated with these findings is warranted.

A National Measurement Framework to Assess and Improve Sickle Cell Care in 4 US Regions.

OBJECTIVES: Coordinated measurement strategies are needed to inform collaborative approaches to improve access to and quality of care for persons with sickle cell disease (SCD). The objective of our study was to develop a multilevel measurement strategy to assess improvements in access to and quality of care for persons with SCD in 4 US regions. METHODS: From 2014 through 2017, regional grantees in the Sickle Cell Disease Treatment Demonstration Program collected administrative and patient-level electronic health record (EHR) data to assess quality improvement initiatives. Four grantees-covering 29 US states and territories and an SCD population of 56 720-used a collective impact model to organize their work. The grantees collected administrative data from state Medicaid and Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) at multiple points during 2014-2017 to assess improvements at the population level, and local patient-level data were abstracted from site-level EHRs at regular intervals to track improvements over time. RESULTS: Administrative data were an important source of understanding population-level improvements but were delayed, whereas patient-level data were more sensitive to small-scale quality improvements. CONCLUSIONS: We established a shared measurement approach in partnership with Medicaid and Medicaid MCO stakeholders that can be leveraged to effectively support quality improvement initiatives for persons with SCD in the United States.

An observational study of type, timing, and severity of childhood maltreatment and preterm birth.

BACKGROUND: Childhood maltreatment has been linked to preterm birth (<37 weeks gestation) in some studies, but these findings have been inconsistent, and it remains unclear whether type, timing or severity of maltreatment are associated with risk of preterm birth. The aim of this observational study was to explore type of maltreatment (child and adolescent physical and sexual abuse and harsh parenting) as risk factors for preterm birth. METHODS: We examined these associations in a cross-sectional analysis of the Nurses' Health Study II cohort of female nurses. Women completed a questionnaire about experiences of sexual abuse, physical abuse or harsh parenting, along with pregnancy outcomes. Logistic regression models adjusted for relevant covariates including age, race, alcohol and cigarette use during pregnancy, age at menarche, marital status, adult income, body mass index (kg/m(2)) at age 18, physical abuse in pregnancy, and childhood socioeconomic position. RESULTS: Among 51 434 first births, 4110 were preterm (8% of births). Forced sexual activity in childhood or adolescence was associated with a 22% increased odds of preterm birth (OR=1.22, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.35). Maltreatment involving sexual touch, physical abuse or harsh parenting was not associated with preterm birth in this sample. CONCLUSIONS: Women who experience forced sexual activity in childhood or adolescence may have an increased likelihood of delivering preterm in adulthood.