Leveraging Data to Lower Indiana’s Infant Mortality Rate
THE CHALLENGE
Indiana faces a critical challenge. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state has the second highest infant mortality rate in the Midwest and ranks seventh in the nation. In April 2019, Governor Holcomb signed a landmark bill (HEA 1007) which introduced the OB Navigator Program. Designed to combat this alarming issue, the OB Navigator Program connects women with home-visitation services and ensure healthcare providers screen expectant mothers for drug and alcohol use.
To further tackle this public health problem, the Indiana chapter of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society hosted the Healthy Mom + Baby Datapalooza. This event invited participants to create data analyses that would shape future policies and initiatives supporting Governor Holcomb’s OB Navigator program. Our team at CSpring applied their expertise to address this critical issue, as detailed below.
DATA DISCOVERY
The data sources provided by the challenge came from multiple locations in multiple formats. Our data consultants embarked on the data preprocessing phase, navigating data from diverse sources including the Indiana State Department of Health, the Regenstrief Institute, and the Indiana Census. Synthesizing these varied formats, we developed a comprehensive analysis plan with three critical components:
- Multiple linear regression
- Logistic regression
- Series of chi-squared statistical tests
We then conducted a series of chi-squared tests, analyzing key data points such as mothers’ marital status and living regions (urban, rural, etc.) to understand their impact on infant survival rates during the first year.
IMPACT
CSpring’s analysis unearthed valuable insights into how socioeconomic factors influence OB-GYN care and maternal support. We identified the top three predictors of infant deaths as:
- Median household income
- Access to healthcare
- Wellbeing of infants
Our chi-squared analysis also revealed that maternal marital status and breastfeeding habits significantly affect infants’ survival. The event’s epidemiologists and clinicians concurred with our findings. Additionally, they noted that single mothers often lack a strong support system to help with their pregnancy or childcare. Lastly, we found that these mothers may also lack proper maternal care education, breastfeeding capabilities, and the time to prepare for newborn care.
Thanks to our Datapalooza team, CSpring equipped key stakeholders of the OB Navigator program with critical information about factors affecting Indiana’s infant mortality rates. Understanding infant health goes beyond just health claims – it begins with understanding the mother’s socioeconomic status and support system throughout both her pregnancy and early postpartum experience.
CSpring’s team imagined adding a prominent visualization to OB Navigator that would help mothers find support across the state and the team’s recommendation earned them a spot as a top honoree!
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