p e o p l e
Moving toward equity
in babies’ survival
W
Joedrecka Brown Speights
hen one news service reported on the College of Medicine’s
George Rust
They measured two trend lines simultaneously: “optimal” improvement
latest study on infant mortality, its headline missed the (reduction in the black infant mortality rate) and “equitable” improvement
point. “Black U.S. babies still more likely to die than white (reduction in the disparities between black and white rates). Digesting
infants,” the April headline announced. Sadly, that disparity the data for each state, they calculated when the black-white gap would
exists – but it’s not inevitable. And that was the point of the newest study.
It revealed that 18 states are indeed shrinking the gap between the races.
disappear if current trends continued.
Massachusetts ranked No. 1 for having the lowest black infant mortality
In fact, those states are on track – if the trends continue – to eliminate rate and for making the greatest percentage progress toward equality in its
racial disparities in infant mortality by the year 2050. black-white rate ratio. Georgia was the only Southeastern state in the top 18.
“Racial equality in infant survival is achievable,” said lead author Joedrecka
The researchers projected it will take at least 49 years for Florida to see
Brown Speights, from the Department of Family Health and Rural the elimination of black-white differences in infant death rates if current
Medicine. “But more needs to be done if we want to see it in our lifetimes.” trend lines remain constant. “A more conservative calculation puts Florida’s
Infant mortality has persistently afflicted black babies more than white
babies despite nationwide prevention efforts. In 2013, the non-Hispanic
estimated ‘date of equality’ at 2213, or nearly a century from now,” Rust said.
Between 2000 and 2013, overall infant mortality rates declined 13
black infant mortality rate in the U.S. was 11.1 per 1,000 live births, percent nationwide. In this latest study, every state improved its survival
compared with 5.1 for non-Hispanic whites – and the black rate has rate for black babies over the 13-year time period.
remained at least double the white rate for decades.
“Now, though,” Brown Speights said, “this study is saying that some
states are trending in the right direction.”
Brown Speights published the study in the American Journal of Public
Health with College of Medicine co-authors George Rust, Les Beitsch,
Samantha Goldfarb and Brittny Wells.
They used a research technique that Rust and another co-author –
Robert Levine, with the Baylor University College of Medicine – have used
to gauge progress on such conditions as breast cancer and colorectal cancer.
As the study reported, racial disparities in infant mortality reflect larger
inequalities in population health status, including social determinants (housing
and food, for example), economic status, structural and relational racism, insurance
coverage, health-care access and positive factors such as resiliency and social support.
Brown Speights hopes her team’s study will energize researchers and
community members – including fellow volunteers in the Tallahassee area’s
Maternal Child Health Equity Collaborative.
“Some states are on the right track,” she said. “Now we have a benchmark
that we can hold ourselves accountable to. That gives me hope.”
Around the college
S
usan Salahshor, assistant professor in the School of Physician and Graduate Programs Executive Support Assistant TaWanda DuRant
Assistant Practice, was named president of the Florida (Staff), Suzanne Harrison (Senior Educator), Mohamed Kabbaj (Senior
Academy of Physician Assistants. She is the organization’s Investigator), Deirdre McCarthy (Junior Investigator) and Anthony
first black president. … School of Physician Assistant Speights (Junior Educator).
Practice Director Jim Zedaker was named a Distinguished Fellow by the
programs designed to increase the number of quality applicants from
Clinical Relations Mollie Hill received the Distinguished Layman’s Award underserved communities – urban and rural. In June, the Charles &
from the Florida Medical Association. ... Marshall Kapp, director of the Margery Barancik Foundation provided a five-year, $500,000 grant to
Center for Innovative Collaboration in Medicine and Law, was appointed establish a SSTRIDE chapter in Sarasota County.
academic advisor to the American Board of Professional Liability
The college’s diversity success can be traced in many ways to pipeline
American Academy of PAs. … Recently retired Director of Community
SSTRIDE (Science Students Together Reaching Instructional Diversity
Attorneys. … Andrée Aubrey was named Social Worker of the Year & Excellence) began in 1994 as an outreach effort of the Program in
by the Florida Big Bend Chapter of the National Association of Social Medical Sciences. The program has successfully prepared numerous
Workers. … Mahsheed Khajavi and Michael Nair-Collins each received students for entry to medical school at Florida State and elsewhere,
a Transformation Through Teaching award as part of FSU’s Spiritual Life helping the FSU College of Medicine fulfill its mission to produce more
Project. … College of Medicine Faculty Council awards were presented physicians who will care for Florida’s underserved, including those in rural
to Christie Alexander (Guardian of the Mission), Office for Research communities.
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