Reference no: EM132372491

Improving the well-being of mothers, infants, and children is an important public health goal as their well-being determines the health of the next generation. However, the epidemiology of maternal, infant, and child health is complex. For example, the infant mortality rate among First Nations, Inuit, or non-Indigenous groups in Quebec, Canada, is significantly higher than other Canadians despite a universal health insurance system (Luo et al., 2012). Socioeconomic status, educational attainment, and other social and biological factors may influence such disparity (Bryant, Worjoloh, Caughey, & Washington, 2010).

Fortunately, epidemiologists and policy makers are developing and implementing preventive and intervention strategies. An example of this is represented in Healthy People 2020. These strategies are aimed at addressing specific outcomes such as reducing maternal mortality during pregnancy or increasing vaccination rates among infants and children. Epidemiologists are also developing novel methods to assess outcomes of the interventions.

For this consider the current issues of maternal, infant, and child health. Then select a maternal, infant, or child health issue that impacts your community. Consider potential solutions to this issue and how you might assess success.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post a brief description of the epidemiology of a maternal, infant, or child health issue in your community. Assuming you had unlimited resources, explain what initiative you might implement to reduce the burden of this issue in your community. Provide one specific measurable outcome that you might expect to see from this program. Using the "Leading Health Indicators" resource, select and describe two indicators that best assess the status of the outcome you desire. Provide a rationale for your selection of the indicators as an assessment of whether your initiative is achieving outcomes.