Michelle Chiezah

When you compare the US's infant mortality rate to other industrialized societies, if you look at what we call OECD infant mortality rates, I can't remember what that acronym stands for, but Organization of Economic Something Development comes out of Europe. The US ranks dead last. Dead last? Yeah, among developed societies, yes.

When you compare the US's infant mortality rate to other industrialized societies, if you look at what we call OECD infant mortality rates, I can't remember what that acronym stands for, but Organization of Economic Something Development comes out of Europe. The US ranks dead last. Dead last? Yeah, among developed societies, yes.

There's a statistic that's often been touted that even Cuba, a less developed country, has a better infant mortality rate than the U.S. So the U.S. is not doing very well. And it's because of prematurity and all that comes with those preterm births that we see a very high burden. a huge difference in this country.

There's a statistic that's often been touted that even Cuba, a less developed country, has a better infant mortality rate than the U.S. So the U.S. is not doing very well. And it's because of prematurity and all that comes with those preterm births that we see a very high burden. a huge difference in this country.

Like I've said, the rates themselves have declined over time. It's the disparity gap. And that to me is also an opportunity for other interventions. And I think it's probably a combination of things, but that gap also says to me that we are addressing those structural and systemic issues that are really at the root cause of this problem, racism. Racism hasn't gone away, right?

Like I've said, the rates themselves have declined over time. It's the disparity gap. And that to me is also an opportunity for other interventions. And I think it's probably a combination of things, but that gap also says to me that we are addressing those structural and systemic issues that are really at the root cause of this problem, racism. Racism hasn't gone away, right?

You think that you'd go to the healthcare system and be treated fairly and equally, but all people aren't treated the same in the healthcare system. There's research to back this up, dating to maybe two, three, even four decades ago, two decades ago. I can think of Michelle Van Ryn's research at the U of M, where she looked at this issue, the social

You think that you'd go to the healthcare system and be treated fairly and equally, but all people aren't treated the same in the healthcare system. There's research to back this up, dating to maybe two, three, even four decades ago, two decades ago. I can think of Michelle Van Ryn's research at the U of M, where she looked at this issue, the social

economic differentials and how people are treated in the healthcare system. So getting at those structural issues, get systemic issues, social determinants of health, like inadequate housing or, you know, that's a problem. Housing problem. Housing is a problem. I'm sorry. We also have food insecurity. We have issues with the criminal justice system. People aren't treated fairly there.

economic differentials and how people are treated in the healthcare system. So getting at those structural issues, get systemic issues, social determinants of health, like inadequate housing or, you know, that's a problem. Housing problem. Housing is a problem. I'm sorry. We also have food insecurity. We have issues with the criminal justice system. People aren't treated fairly there.

We need to expand health. It's just a whole lot of problems. whole lot of different issues. So I think when we think of infant mortality, we shouldn't just think about behaviors. If you think about what the determinants of health are, 40% of our health is determined by economic conditions, about 30% or so by health behavior. So it could be a combination of things.

We need to expand health. It's just a whole lot of problems. whole lot of different issues. So I think when we think of infant mortality, we shouldn't just think about behaviors. If you think about what the determinants of health are, 40% of our health is determined by economic conditions, about 30% or so by health behavior. So it could be a combination of things.

So when we think of infant mortality, we have to take a multifaceted approach to this complex problem. So not just tackle prenatal care, but we need to tackle all the other things that come around with it or are driving that problem.

So when we think of infant mortality, we have to take a multifaceted approach to this complex problem. So not just tackle prenatal care, but we need to tackle all the other things that come around with it or are driving that problem.

As I stated before, medical care is not available to everyone in this country. There are medical deserts, right? So that is why hospitals are closing. So people may have to travel longer to get access. And even when they're in the healthcare system, we're all not treated very the same, right?

As I stated before, medical care is not available to everyone in this country. There are medical deserts, right? So that is why hospitals are closing. So people may have to travel longer to get access. And even when they're in the healthcare system, we're all not treated very the same, right?

I think about based on our race, ethnicity, maybe based on a doctor's or provider's perception of who we are. So even though people may have some access health care may not be accessible in different ways. So the medical deserts issue the closing of hospitals, and that sort of thing contributes to some of these problems that we're seeing, the differentials that we're looking at.

I think about based on our race, ethnicity, maybe based on a doctor's or provider's perception of who we are. So even though people may have some access health care may not be accessible in different ways. So the medical deserts issue the closing of hospitals, and that sort of thing contributes to some of these problems that we're seeing, the differentials that we're looking at.

Access to transportation, that affects infant health outcomes too. Like I said, this is a very complex issue, and so there's so many different inputs into the problem, and we need to tackle as many of them as possible.

Access to transportation, that affects infant health outcomes too. Like I said, this is a very complex issue, and so there's so many different inputs into the problem, and we need to tackle as many of them as possible.