Michelle Chiezah

San. Happy to be here.

San. Happy to be here.

Very good question. First, thank you so much for having me here. Mortality is the death of a live-born infant before the first birthday. And we measure infant mortality. We use a rate called the infant mortality rate, which is basically the number of infant deaths per thousand live births.

Very good question. First, thank you so much for having me here. Mortality is the death of a live-born infant before the first birthday. And we measure infant mortality. We use a rate called the infant mortality rate, which is basically the number of infant deaths per thousand live births.

We need that measure so we can do comparisons across populations, across geographies, across other types of deaths. variables of interest. And that variable in and of itself, that measure is very powerful in that it tells us a whole lot about a society and a whole lot about a community. It tells us about the quality of health care that's available, socioeconomic conditions.

We need that measure so we can do comparisons across populations, across geographies, across other types of deaths. variables of interest. And that variable in and of itself, that measure is very powerful in that it tells us a whole lot about a society and a whole lot about a community. It tells us about the quality of health care that's available, socioeconomic conditions.

It tells us about medical care access. It tells us a whole lot. And I think, too, in my opinion, that it's also a measure of our values, who we value and what we value as a society.

It tells us about medical care access. It tells us a whole lot. And I think, too, in my opinion, that it's also a measure of our values, who we value and what we value as a society.

Unfortunately, even though the rates over time have declined in the US and in Minnesota, and we have data to show that even within racial and ethnic groups, the gaps, the disparity gaps between, let's say, the two groups with the highest rates, African American, American Indian, then other racial groups too, those haven't shrunk. The rates are declining, but those haven't shrunk.

Unfortunately, even though the rates over time have declined in the US and in Minnesota, and we have data to show that even within racial and ethnic groups, the gaps, the disparity gaps between, let's say, the two groups with the highest rates, African American, American Indian, then other racial groups too, those haven't shrunk. The rates are declining, but those haven't shrunk.

Still today, the disparity gap is about the same as it was two decades ago. Infants born to Black and American Indian mothers in the state and also nationwide are two to sometimes even three times as likely to die

Still today, the disparity gap is about the same as it was two decades ago. Infants born to Black and American Indian mothers in the state and also nationwide are two to sometimes even three times as likely to die

um before their first birthday as um maybe an infant born to a white mother and maybe compared to the state or national rates overall so that's what we're seeing and one of the reasons that gap is to me an opportunity gap it's a disparity gap but it tells us too there's a lot of things that we aren't addressing we've spent a number of years addressing health behaviors

um before their first birthday as um maybe an infant born to a white mother and maybe compared to the state or national rates overall so that's what we're seeing and one of the reasons that gap is to me an opportunity gap it's a disparity gap but it tells us too there's a lot of things that we aren't addressing we've spent a number of years addressing health behaviors

no smoking, no alcohol during pregnancy, get your prenatal care. Well, a lot of women are doing those things, but what's not being addressed are the systemic and structural issues, the drivers, those forces that are really having tremendous impacts on people's lives. For example, systemic racism is still an issue today. This talk about post-racial or whatever, that doesn't exist.

no smoking, no alcohol during pregnancy, get your prenatal care. Well, a lot of women are doing those things, but what's not being addressed are the systemic and structural issues, the drivers, those forces that are really having tremendous impacts on people's lives. For example, systemic racism is still an issue today. This talk about post-racial or whatever, that doesn't exist.

Racism still exists in our institutions, in our healthcare system. Let's face it, we're not all treated the same in the healthcare system. Opportunities are not made available to all of us. And so we need people to have opportunities. We need to address housing issues. We need to address transportation access issues.

Racism still exists in our institutions, in our healthcare system. Let's face it, we're not all treated the same in the healthcare system. Opportunities are not made available to all of us. And so we need people to have opportunities. We need to address housing issues. We need to address transportation access issues.

We need to address medical care issues, expand medical care, treat people better, some of us better in the healthcare system. So there are a whole lot of issues that are being addressed. And until we address those and are truly intentional and make new efforts to do that, these gaps will still persist.

We need to address medical care issues, expand medical care, treat people better, some of us better in the healthcare system. So there are a whole lot of issues that are being addressed. And until we address those and are truly intentional and make new efforts to do that, these gaps will still persist.