Training program addressing the multilevel factors that affect pregnancy-related and pregnancy-associated morbidity and mortality disparities

Abstract: The Training Component will prepare scientists, including early-stage investigators and other junior scientists, students, and postdocs, to conduct research to that will help us understand and address multilevel factors causing PRAMM and disparities. As our projects address PRAMM and disparities at the patient, community, provider, and systems levels, so too will our training program. The overall goal of the Center’s Training Component is to engage and prepare junior investigators, with a focus on early-stage investigators, to conduct research that addresses the biological, behavioral, environmental, and social determinants of PRAMM and disparities. The Training Component will leverage the expertise and networks of Center investigators and community partners, who bring a broad range of expertise in community-engaged research methods, developing and testing multilevel interventions, dissemination and implementation science, analysis of population-level data, randomized trial designs, factorial designs, quasi-experimental studies, and analysis of claims data. Center investigators also bring expertise on using mobile health to reduce disparities and substantive knowledge and experience testing interventions for understudied causes of PRAMM disparities, including partner violence, suicide, substance use, and other co-occurring conditions. The College of Human Medicine at Michigan State University offers an ideal environment for this training program because of its emphasis on community-engagement and health disparities, its reach across multiple locations in Michigan (Flint, Grand Rapids, Lansing/East Lansing, and Northern Michigan) and its partnership with Henry Ford Health System in Southeast Michigan. We will pursue the following Specific Aims. 1. Engage and train Collaborating Scholars through one-on-one mentoring, hands-on experiential learning, and structured training, with a focus on early-stage investigators. 2. Provide opportunities for other early-stage and junior investigators, students, and postdocs to learn from participating in PRAMM disparities research by including them in Center projects. 3. Provide a set of didactic opportunities focused on understanding and addressing the multi-level determinants of PRAMM to the entire Research Community, i.e., Investigators, staff, Community Partners, Collaborating Scholars and other students, postdocs, new investigators, and interested stakeholders 4. Leverage an extensive network of existing training opportunities that include courses, seminars, and trainings from across the Michigan State University colleges in East Lansing and Flint, Michigan, other Community Partner organizations, and other sources as appropriate