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Each year, 1,000 infants die in North Carolina before reaching
their first birthday -- one every nine hours. Among African
Americans, the numbers are even more staggering, with more
than one out of every one hundred babies dying their first
year of life.
In an effort to address this growing problem, the North
Carolina Healthy Start Foundation and the  Old
North State Medical Society (ONSMS) joined forces.
The goal of the collaboration was to raise awareness and promote strategies to reduce adverse health of issues affecting the African American community.
ONSMS members were asked to display posters, developed
for this collaboration, in their offices. Members were also
asked to take the messages beyond their practice and
into the communities where they live. Targeted advertising
and public relations efforts disseminated campaign messages
to the general public.
Some facts about infant mortality in North Carolina
- In the top 10 highest infant mortality rate nationwide
- Overall infant mortality (IM) rate: 8.25 deaths per 1,000
live births
- African American IM rate: 13.5 deaths per
1,000 live births
- American Indian IM rate: 16.5 deaths per
1,000 live births
- Latino IM rate: 7.0 deaths per 1,000 live
births
- Caucasian IM rate: 6.2 deaths per 1,000
live births
- The leading causes of infant death:
- Premature births (before 37 weeks of pregnancy)
- Low birthweight births (less than 5.5 pounds)
- Birth defects
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
- Each year, more than 10,000 babies are born low birthweight
or premature
What YOU can do
Physicians
Church and Community Groups
- Organize a health fair with your local health department
focusing on women and
infant
health. Locate your local health department
- Provide transportation for women going to the doctor.
- Distribute free educational
materials pertaining to women and infant health,
available from the N.C. Healthy Start Foundation
- Display Every
9 Hours campaign posters, available free
of charge from the N.C. Healthy Start Foundation
Businesses
- Offer on-site prenatal care
- Offer flexible work schedules so women can regularly
attend doctor's appointments
- Organize an on-site health fair with your local health
department focusing on women and infant
health. Locate your local health department
- Distribute free educational
materials pertaining to women and infant health,
available from the N.C. Healthy Start Foundation
Women of childbearing age
- See your doctor for regular check-ups
- Adopt healthy habits. Eat right, exercise, don't smoke
and reduce stress
- Even if you are not planning on having a baby, take a
daily multivitamin with at least 400 micrograms of folic
acid to prevent some birth defects. After all, half of
all pregnancies are unplanned.
- Learn more information if you are pregnant or thinking about
having a baby
Resources
View and
order free educational materials.
View
and order free Every 9 Hours campaign posters.
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Last updated: September 2009 |
