ELEVATE Center: Reduction of Maternal Morbidity from Substance Use Disorder in Utah

Utah State Higher Education System--University Of Utah, Salt Lake City UT

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

Accidental drug overdose and suicide were the leading causes of pregnancy-associated death in Utah from 2015-2020, accounting for nearly 40% of all pregnancy-associated deaths over that time period. At-risk populations, including those in rural settings and those who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native are disproportionately affected by maternal morbidity. We bring together a transdisciplinary team with expertise in obstetrics, addiction medicine, simulation training, experiential learning, stigma and disparity reduction, community engagement and implementation science. Together, this collaborative team will establish the ELEVATE Maternal Health Center of Excellence. ELEVATE is named to encompass our mission to Expand our reach across Utah and the Mountain West, LEVerage existing infrastructure, And Treat pregnant and postpartum women with substance use disorder (SUD) who experience disparities. In response to our community partners and needs of disproportionately affected populations, we propose two projects in years 1- 5, which will be scaled up and implemented statewide and disseminated nationally in years 6 and 7. Project 1 (CEREMONY) will implement a culturally appropriate and multidisciplinary perinatal care clinic for individuals with SUD at Sacred Circle Clinic, which is a clinic serving Native mothers. Project 2 (INSPIRE) will develop, implement and test a modular learning intervention, anchored in simulation training, for interprofessional members of the healthcare team to reduce stigma related to SUD in pregnancy. A robust train- the-trainer curriculum will allow us to implement the program across the state and reach rural communities. Our ELEVATE Center aims are to: (1) provide integrated and efficient leadership of the two proposed projects, maximizing coordination with community partners and incorporating research training across all elements of the ELEVATE Center; (2) mature our existing community partnerships and statewide networks in order to facilitate future implementation science and effectiveness trials to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality in Utah, and (3) reduce maternal morbidity in Utah and nationally through implementation of community-driven interventions and training of health care practitioners. The ELEVATE Center will rigorously investigate and identify contributors to maternal morbidity and mortality from SUD with a focus on rural and Native populations. The multipronged approach of the ELEVATE Center will reduce maternal morbidity from substance use in Utah while training the next generation of scientists focused on morbidity reduction. Our efforts can ultimately be expanded nationally to address a leading cause of pregnancy-associated death in the U.S.