The OPTIMIZE Study: Optimizing Patient Navigation for Perinatal Care

Black pregnant women experience profound health disparities in the United States, with Black moms dying from pregnancy-related causes at the highest rate of any other group. Funded by the National Institutes of Health, the OPTIMIZE research study tested a comprehensive perinatal care checklist with patient navigation support to increase pregnant women’s ability to attend their pre and postnatal visits, receive comprehensive care during and in between visits, and by connecting them to resources to address barriers to health. Elevate Lab partnered with ACCESS Community Health Network and AllianceChicago to conduct this study in community health centers in Chicago.

Learn more about this study at ClinicalTrials.gov.

Research Publications

• Alhalel J, Patterson L, Francone NO, Danner S, Osei C, O'Brian CA, Tom LS, Masinter L, Adetoro E, Lazar D, Ekong A, Simon MA. Addressing racial disparities in perinatal care for African American/Black individuals in the Chicago community health setting: a qualitative study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2022 Oct 13;22(1):771. doi: 10.1186/s12884-022-05100-4. PMID: 36229787; PMCID: PMC9558023.
• Simon M, Danner S, Saavedra S, Flowers F, Jackson A, Ross J, Abbas H, Adetoro E, Ekong A, Osei C, Francone N, Alhalel J, Masinter L, Lazar D. The Complex Interplay of Communication and Trust in Healthcare Delivery. Harv Public Health Rev (Camb). 2021;39:10.54111/0001/mm5. doi: 10.54111/0001/mm5. Epub 2022 Mar 18. PMID: 36811002; PMCID: PMC9940484.
• Wishart D, Cruz Alvarez C, Ward C, Danner S, O'Brian CA, Simon M. Racial and Ethnic Minority Pregnant Patients with Low-Income Experiences of Perinatal Care: A Scoping Review. Health Equity. 2021 Sep 3;5(1):554-568. doi: 10.1089/heq.2021.0017. PMID: 34909522; PMCID: PMC8665802.