Bridging Research and Community: Insights from an IMPROVE-CIP Researcher

Stephanie Stroever, Ph.D., M.P.H., is assistant professor at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and the quantitative lead for the Verifying and Implementing evidence-Based pRograms Addressing Needed Transformations for Maternal health Outcomes, Measures, and Support (VIBRANT MOMS) project under the Implementing a Maternal health and PRegnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone Community Implementation Program (IMPROVE-CIP) program. She will be presenting research from IMPROVE-CIP at the upcoming American Public Health Association (APHA) conference, discussing the prevalence of preeclampsia and eclampsia in six counties of the Texas Panhandle. In this interview, Dr. Stroever shares insights into her research, the role of community engagement, and the impact of IMPROVE-CIP’s work on maternal health in their communities.

What is the objective of this research? 

The purpose of our research is to understand implementation barriers and facilitators and then test strategies for delivering a health care intervention for improved maternal health. Part of our foundational work is to understand exactly what we're facing here in the Panhandle of Texas and what our priority population is struggling with in terms of adverse maternal health. We captured the prevalence of different health conditions like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and mental health conditions so that we could understand the need.

How were community partners involved in the research?

We made sure to get buy-in from the community at every point in the research process. For example, when we first identified the health conditions we were interested in, we worked with our community partners to establish a data working group that would get together every week to communicate about what we were encountering in the data. Once we had the results and interpreted the data, I shared my thoughts and listened to their impressions. So, we didn't have only my own perspective of the data, but also all community feedback at each point.

How does the IMPROVE-CIP team ensure that community voices are heard and integrated into the research?

Our research is grounded in our coalitions. Everything that we do is informed by our community and the people that we wish to serve. We established our VIBRANT MOMS coalition in collaboration with community partners. We have routine coalition meetings. The goal is to continue to build this environment in which we are all helping each other to do this important work.

The coalition decided together what we're going to focus on as we move into our next phase. We went into this research thinking we would focus on preeclampsia. But we heard from our partners during our first coalition meeting that they’re also concerned about maternal and mental health and sexually transmitted diseases.

What impact do you hope your community engagement efforts will have long term?

Four out of the six counties in our priority populations are maternal or maternity care deserts, and we see a high prevalence of some maternal health conditions. We've got a coalition of numerous community partners, and we’re driving positive conversation — and also meaningful change. That starts with making sure our communities have access to care and figuring out how to do that in the best way possible for our community.

What are you looking forward to at the APHA conference?  

I love the innovation and mixing of ideas that you can find at conferences — to hear what other people are doing to answer a problem or to solve a problem. We do so much virtually these days, and I look forward to being face-to-face with other people who really care about maternal health and who care about health and public health!

Attend the IMPROVE-CIP presentation, Prevalence of preeclampsia and eclampsia in six counties of the Texas Panhandle with variable access to maternity care services, on Sunday, October 27, from 4:30-4:45 p.m. at APHA.

View more upcoming CEAL presentations at APHA