Child Health and Development Research Supported by the HRSA MCHB Office of Epidemiology and Research

• In Event: Federal Agency Poster Session

Abstract

The Office of Epidemiology and Research (OER) within the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau (HRSA MCHB) collects data, conducts and funds research, and informs the design, implementation and evaluation of investments totaling more than $1 billion annually to improve the health and well-being of maternal and child health (MCH) populations. OER is comprised of two divisions: the Division of Research (DoR) funds and oversees research grants related to MCH with a special focus on autism and health equity. The Division of Epidemiology (DoE) funds and directs the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) and provides training and technical assistance to build capacity for MCH surveillance, research, performance measurement, and evaluation.
DoR strengthens the evidence base on child health and development across the life course by supporting four funding models: Research Networks (RN); Single Investigator Innovation Programs (SIIP), Field-Initiated Innovation Research Studies (FIRST), and Secondary Data Analysis Research Studies (SDAR). Together, nearly 400 awardee institutions and individuals have been funded since 2001 resulting in over 2,400 peer-reviewed publications. The RNs establish and maintain an interdisciplinary, multi-center research forum for scientific collaboration and infrastructure building and provide national leadership in research to advance the evidence base for effective interventions. The SIIP, FIRST, and SDAR research investments advance the health and well-being of MCH populations by supporting innovative, applied, and translational intervention research and secondary data analysis studies on critical issues affecting MCH populations. Research grantees collect and use data to measure and address disparities and advance equity in access and outcomes for a range of topics including early language development, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), mental health, and the impact of COVID-19, among others. Mentoring and training the next generation of MCH researchers remains a key focus.
The NSCH, funded and directed by DoE, is the largest national- and state-level survey on the health and health care needs of children ages 0-17, their families, and their communities. It is the only data source on key child health indicators, such as the prevalence and impact of Special Health Care needs, Medical Home access, selected ACEs, and, beginning in 2022, the first population-level, multidimensional measure of young children’s readiness to start school. The breadth of content, large annual sample, and ability to produce state and national estimates has made the NSCH the primary source for Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant Performance and Outcome Measures, and the data source for 15 Healthy People objectives. Further, it is widely used by researchers and has informed public and private efforts to improve the health and well-being of US children and their families. In addition to the NSCH, DoE funds training opportunities across the MCH epidemiology pipeline for students at the masters and doctoral level as well as those practicing at the state and local level. Finally, staff across the division serve as technical experts to all MCHB-funded programs, informing all research, data collection, performance measurement and evaluation activities to improve the reach and impact of MCHB-funded investments.

Authors

• Deborah Quint Shelef, Health Resources and Services Administration
  Presenting Author

• Lisa Hund, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration

• Michael Kogan

• Reem Ghandour, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration

• Rui Li

• Lydie Lebrun-Harris