The University of Wisconsin–Madison Prevention Research Center (UWPRC) has been awarded $5 million in grant funding for the next five years from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to facilitate community-engaged research addressing maternal and child health disparities impacting Wisconsin communities. The grant is one of 20 awarded by the CDC as part of the Prevention Research Centers (PRC) Program, a network of academic research centers studying how to reduce the risks of chronic diseases and other leading causes of death and disability in the United States.
The UWPRC first received CDC funding and became a member of the Prevention Research Centers Program in 2019. The mission of the UWPRC is to improve the health of women and birthing people, infants, and families impacted by health inequities by conducting and building capacity for high-quality applied health promotion and disease prevention research rooted in health equity.
“This funding is essential to moving forward with developing community-driven solutions to maternal and child health inequities,” said UWPRC Director Jill Denson. “Researchers and collaborators throughout the state will continue working together to learn about the health issues that affect Wisconsin families and to translate research findings into practice.”
Funding will support research, community engagement, evaluation, and training to improve health outcomes and reduce health risks and deaths related to pregnancy, the postpartum period and infancy throughout Wisconsin. The UWPRC will partner with researchers, community advisory boards, community-based organizations, healthcare organizations, and state programs to develop, test, and evaluate solutions to maternal and child health issues identified by community members with lived and living experience. Based on the recommendations of partners, findings will be implemented into practice and used to inform policy.
Funding will additionally support the 2024-2029 Core Research Project (CRP), Adaptation of Staying Health After Childbirth (STAC) to Prevent and Reduce Racial Disparities in Postpartum Morbidity and Mortality, led by Kara Hoppe, DO and Andy Garbacz, PhD. The CRP seeks to reduce racial health disparities and improve maternal and infant health outcomes for Black women. The CRP will expand access to STAC. The evidence-based program is designed to monitor blood pressure during pregnancy and after birth to decrease health complications and hospital readmissions of people who are pregnant and postpartum. Community members will help to culturally adapt and implement STAC to provide remote pregnancy support and blood pressure care in community-based organizations, such as doula organizations and public health departments.
The grant will fund the UWPRC and CRP through September 2029.