Final ‘Mission’ Packet

 

[Your Name]

Department of [Your Major], King Graduate School

KG 604: Graduate Research & Critical Analysis

Professor Ramlochan

April 2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Required Task	Week Skill is Practiced	Workbook Activity	Page Number
APA-7-Compliant Title Page	Week 3		4
Level 1 Header: Title of Your Paper	5
· Introduction paragraph with a thesis statement	Week 12
	Activity: 1st Sentence of the Opening Paragraph	6a
	Activity: Drafting Your Thesis Statement	7a
Level 1 Header: Literature Review	8
· Opening paragraph ensuring credibility of sources evaluated in the Review of Literature	Week 7		9
	Activity: Developing Introductory Paragraph to Literature Review	10a
· Review of Literature including only research articles	Week 6		11
	Activity: Notes for Research Articles, Notice My Capitalization	13a
· Analysis of Literature including compare and contrast of methodologies, findings, and recommendations	Week 8		16
	Activity: Analyze Your Research Articles: Compare and Contrast	16a
	Activity: Checklist for the Literature Review	17a
Level 1 Header: Discussion: Mitigation Recommendation	17b
· Opening paragraph summarizing the populations/locations affected by this problem	Week 10	Activity: Reintroduce and Summarize the Problem and Populations Affected	17b
· Summary of existing mitigation techniques	Week 9	Activity: Find a Company/Organization/Policy Working to Mitigate the Problem	17c
· Recommendation, connecting existing mitigation techniques to the specific location/population of the problem	Week 10	Activity: Develop Your Recommendation with Evidence	18a
Level 1 Header: Conclusion	21
· Conclusion paragraph	Week 12	Activity: Checklist to the Conclusion Paragraph:	22a
New Page – Level 1 Header: References	23
APA-7-Compliant References Page including every source cited in-text	Week 3

 

Instructions to Packet Use

Activities must be completed according to the weekly order on p. 2. The process and order of conducting secondary applied research taught in KG 604 will provide you with a strong framework of research, which you will continue to build upon and adjust throughout your program. Do not complete Actives in any other order than the weekly order on p.2.

You will then use all Activities, in the order listed on p. 2, to guide you during the writing process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page #

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paper Title (bold with title capitalization)

 

Racial Disparities in Healthcare Among Pregnant Women in the United States

 

(NOTICE one blank, double-spaced line)

 

Katniss Everdeen

 

Department of Public Health, King Graduate School

Due Date

Your Name

Department & Name of College

Course Number & Name

 

KG 604: Research & Critical Analysis

Instructor’s Name

(first name optional)

 

Dr. John H. Watson

July 1, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introductory Paragraph

 

Outline for Introductory Paragraph

 

· Opening Sentence: Grab the reader’s attention.

 

· Transition Sentence(s): Each sentence should naturally flow from the opening sentence into the thesis statement.

· Thesis Statement: One sentence to summarize what is addressed in the paper with your recommendation: It is your whole paper “squished” into one sentence!

 

Transition Sentences

Opening Sentence

Thesis Statement

 

Color Coding:

 

Green = Opening sentence meant to grab reader’s attention

 

= Sentences in between that are needed to transition from Green to Purple

 

Purple = Thesis statement

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Student Sample: Introduction

 

 

Introduction

 

African American, American Indian, and Alaska Native women are up to three times more likely to die from adverse pregnancy-related outcomes, a disparity that increases with age (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). Researchers found a program which provided support to African American women through group trainings entailing stress reduction techniques, life skills development, and the building of social support. This enabled mitigation efforts to be focused and geared around the factors that influence and contributed to adverse pregnancy outcomes among the minority women within the community, thus reducing and preventing negative pregnanchy outcomes in women of color. In the United States, maternal mortality and adverse health outcomes persist within the minority community, and as a result, racial disparities in healthcare among pregnant women is a current preventable public health concern, therefore it is vital to understand the determinants of health that influences negative pregnancy related outcomes in minority women, similar to one of California’s intervention programs, the Black Infant Health Program (Nichols & Cohen, 2019).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

 

Opening Sentence

6a

 

Activity: 1st Sentence of the Opening Paragraph

Purpose: To Grab the Reader’s Attention

This ONE Sentence Must include:

 

1. a surprising, disturbing, little-known, or wonderful fact

 

2. a statistic

 

3. an in-text citation

 

Examples: Find and Number All Three of These Elements Below

 

Student Samples: Opening Sentence

Sample 1

African American, American Indian, and Alaska Native women are up to three times

more likely to die from adverse pregnancy-related outcomes, a disparity that increases with

age (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019).

 

Sample 2

 

Studies estimate that approximately 40 million Americans, or about 20 percent of the population, are attempting to restrict their intake of food high in carbohydrates (Sanders and Katz, 2004; Hirsch, 2004).

 

Write your own here, and number the 3 parts!

 

 

 

 

1st sample adapted from student paper, Tamifer Lewis;

2nd sample adapted from on-line textbook, retrieved from http://saylor.org/books.455

 

 

 

 

Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement is the driving force of your paper based on research. It should feel like it is your entire paper in one sentence: the problem, the research, recommendation based on research.

General Formula

Problem + research + recommendation based on the research (citation) = your thesis statement

***Important***

Certain things can change in the general formula based on what your professor asks. This is why it is so important to read directions very carefully.

KG 604: Steps to the Thesis

 

1. Restate the Problem with citation

2. Isolate and name the company/organization/program/policy and state why it works, with citation

3. Connect #2 to your population or location and write your recommendation

 

 

 

Student Sample Thesis Statement

 

Research examples to illustrate the points above.

 

In the United States, maternal mortality and adverse health outcomes persist within the minority community, yet as racial disparities in healthcare among pregnant women is a current preventable public health concern, it is vital to understand the determinants of health that influences negative pregnancy related outcomes in minority women, similar to one of California’s intervention programs, the Black Infant Health Program (Nichols and Cohen, 2019).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

 

Activity: Drafting Your Thesis Statement

7a

 

 

Answer the following questions in the orange column below and place a check mark next to each task.

 

Steps	Description of Steps	Draft Your Notes to Build Your Thesis Statement	Check
1	· Restate the Problem with citation:
2	· Isolate and name the company/organization/ program/policy and state why it works, with citation:
3	· Connect #2 to your population or location and write your recommendation
Steps	Ensure the Following:	Check
4	· My thesis statement is the Last Sentence of the Opening Paragraph
5	· My recommendation is based ONLY on the Research, with no
6	· My thesis statement contains in-text citations

 

 

 

Now, use your work above to write your statement in the blank space below!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Literature Review

Definition (part of the overall research paper you will write for this course)

A literature review is an objective summary of what the scientific literature says about

 

your specific topic or question. In this kind of paper, you demonstrate your familiarity with pertinent work in the field. The literature review gives the research history, upon which later research can be built.

The Literature Review is Not a Research Paper

 

Research Paper (what you may be writing in other courses; includes a literature review) The goal of a research paper is to draw on what others have to say about a topic and

engage the sources in order to thoughtfully offer a unique perspective on the issue at hand.

Typically includes these sections (may vary per your professor’s assignment):

 

1. Introduction

 

2. Review of Literature

 

3. Analysis of Literature

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adapted from: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/types_of_ap a_papers.html

and https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/research_papers/genre_and_th e_research_paper.html

 

 

Three Parts of the Literature Review

 

1. Introduction Paragraph for the Literature Review: 6 Steps

 

Six Steps to a Successful Introduction

Steps	Description of Steps	Sample
1	Opening sentence: isolate your research problem, with citation	“Research suggests that racial disparities in healthcare among pregnant women persists in the United States (Zhang et al. 2013).”
2	Explain why it is necessary to solve this problem	“Due to this continuous occurrence, it is vital to examine the factors that contribute to the adverse outcomes in maternal health.”
3	Ensure your reader that you have only included research articles in the literature review and identify the main theme among them	“The literature review contained only research articles about factors that impacted and influenced disparities in pregnancy outcomes.”
4	If you notice multiple factors, you should list them	“Factors that were reviewed were socioeconomic status, public health insurance, race/ethnicity, and poverty status.”
5	Include the names of the databases you used to conduct your research from the Monroe College Library	“The literature review was conducted using EBSCO Host and ProQuest databases from the Monroe College Library.”
6	Lastly, list any search words/terms you used in order to find your research articles	“The search terms used to compile pertinent articles were racial disparities maternal health, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and maternal health outcomes.”

 

 

Student Sample: Introduction to Literature Review

gg

Literature Review

Research suggests that racial disparities in healthcare among pregnant women persists in

the United States (Zhang et al. 2013). Due to this continuous occurrence, it is vital to examine

the factors that contribute to the adverse outcomes in maternal health. The literature review

contained only research articles about factors that impacted and influenced disparities in

pregnancy outcomes. Factors that were reviewed were socioeconomic status, public health

insurance, race/ethnicity, and poverty status. The literature review was conducted using EBSCO

Host and ProQuest databases from the Monroe College Library. The search terms used to

compile pertinent articles were racial disparities maternal health, adverse pregnancy outcomes,

and maternal health outcomes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

 

Activity: Developing Introductory Paragraph to Literature Review

10a

 

 

Directions

Fill in the orange column to build out your introductory paragraph.

Steps	Description of Steps	Your Sentences	Check
1	Opening sentence: isolate your research problem, with citation
2	Explain why it is necessary to solve this problem
3	Ensure your reader that you have only included research articles in the literature review and identify the main theme among them
4	If you notice multiple factors, you should list them
5	Include the names of the databases you used to conduct your research from the Monroe College Library
6	Lastly, list any search words/terms you used in order to find your research articles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.

3. Review of Literature

 

This part consists of the objective summaries of your research articles. The order in which you present these is important. You will need to create Level 2-3 headings to cluster similar research articles by theme or purpose. (Typically, each level heading should include at least three research articles, amounting to 5-10 research articles, but as this is a foundations course, you will only provide a total of three to four (3-4) research articles for your Literature Review.)

 

For each research article found on your topic, you must write a strong objective summary, academic paragraph, that includes all aspects below (W[5] H[1]). The answer to each of these questions below will help you keep track of notes that will eventually be used to write each academic paragraph.

Six Questions to Answer to Summarize a Research Article:5 “W” Questions and 1 “H” Question

1. Who: Who conducted the study? (name of the author*)

 

*If more than two authors, the name you use must be the first (primary) author listed, who is responsible for ensuring the quality of others’ contributions followed by et al.

2. When: In what year was the study conducted? (usually not the publication year)

 

3. Where: In which city, state, or country was the study conducted?

 

4. Why: Why was the study conducted – what did the researcher(s) hope to learn?

 

5. How: How was the study conducted? —D etailed description including

 

methodology ( qualitative, quantitative, mixed-method, literature review, or meta-study), participants etc.

2

6. What: What did the researcher(s) find? — Give the results of the study with specificity, so we understand the value of the study, and how it relates to the WHY

Writing an Objective Summary

11a

 

 What to Do: Write A Short Version of the Article Focus on the 6 Important Questions:

Anyone reading the summary below knows who the main author is (last name of the first

 

author listed if there are more than one); why , when , where, and how the study was conducted;

 

and what the researcher(s) found (5 “W” questions and 1 “H” question).

 

Good Example of an Objective Summary

 

Activity: Practice with Objective Summaries

 

Please Find the Answers to All Six Questions Below and Underline or Highlight Them!

 

Student Sample: Objective Summary

 

Darling et al. (2021) conducted a study between 2001 and 2018 to examine the efficiency of qualified interventions in preterm birth, small for gestational age, low birth weight, neonatal death, cesarean deliveries, maternal care satisfaction, and coast effectiveness programs. A systematic review was used to collect data from the United States, France, Spain, and the Netherlands. The studies consisted of mostly non- Caucasian women from low-income population ranging from 12 to 46 years of age and being between 20 to 32 weeks’ gestation. Interventional programs were implemented into three categories: group prenatal care, augmented prenatal care, or a combination of both group and augmented prenatal care (Darling et al. 2021). The researchers found that certain interventions, such as prenatal care and augmented care, or a combination of both, may decrease adverse outcomes in small-for-gestational-age and preterm birth, and could aid in increasing maternal care satisfaction. Interventions that worked on enhancing coordination of care were found to result in providing more effective cost savings. The researchers also found disparities in the quality of access to care in the vulnerable population. There was insufficient evidence of suitable quality to confirm that the interventions were successful at enhancing clinical outcomes in prenatal care for at risk populations (Darling et al. 2021).

 

Writing an Objective Summary: What Not to Do  What NOT to Do: Write ABOUT the Article

The example below gives us information on what the article was about, but we are left in

 

the dark about how the author conducted the study, and what she found.

 

Bad Example

 

In the study, Chiara Dall’Ora et al. (2015), explained the connection between shift length and burnout among nurses in European countries. In the article, they tell why they conducted the research, how they conducted the research, and also gives the results of the research, providing statistics of the findings (Dall’Ora et al., 2015).

(Can you even find the W5 H1?)

 What NOT to Do: Write CONCLUSIONS/OPINIONS About the Article

 

The example below gives us information about what the reader’s conclusions or opinions

 

are.

 

BAD Example

 

In the study, Chiara Dall’Ora et al. (2015), explained the connection between shift length and burnout among nurses in European countries. This is an important issue because we have to make sure nurses are not burnt out so they can care for patients properly. In the article, they tell why they conducted the research, how they conducted the research, and they also give the results of the research, providing statistics of the findings. If more hospital administrators cared about the well-being of nurses and implemented change, we would have a better healthcare system (Dall’Ora et al., 2015

(Again, can you find the W5 H1?)

Rubric for Objective Summary

 

Please check off where your assignment is on each criterion in this rubric and submit it with your assignment

 

Criteria	Excellent	Not yet excellent	Not yet satisfactory
Free of opinion	Summary is free of opinion	Summary has one opinion word	Summary has more than one opinion word
Using own words	Summary is entirely in the student’s own words	A short phrase appears not to be in student’s own words	Piece has elements of plagiarism (some parts appear to be copied from the article being summarized)
Effectiveness of summary	Summary provides ALL 6 important points:   Who conducted the research (primary author) Why? Where? When? How? What were the findings?	1 of the 6 questions is unanswered or is insufficiently answered	2 or more of the 6 questions are unanswered or are insufficiently answered

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

Activity: Notes for Research Articles, Notice My Capitalization

 

Complete this note sheet in two phases (based on ALL research articles found).

Phase 1: First answer questions 5 and 6 for each article below. IF you cannot find the answers to questions 5 and 6, that means your article is NOT a research article, so you must find a new one.

Phase 2: Once you have determined EACH article is a research article, AND your professor has approved them, you may complete questions 1-4 for each.

W(5)H(1): New Research Article #1 (Basic Research Article)

1. Who conducted the research?

 

2. Why was the study completed (purpose / what researchers hoped to learn) ?

 

3. When was data collected (not the publication year) ?

 

4. Where was data collected (physical location) ?

( examples:

in hospitals in NY State,

in rural China,

in 3 countries in Africa: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Djibouti)

 

5. How was data collected (methodology)? Cut and paste the paragraph below that describes the methodology and HIGHLIGHT the indicator words that specifically show you the methodology :

 

6. What were the findings? Cut and paste the paragraph below that describes the findings and HIGHLIGHT the sentences that specifically show you the summary of findings:

 

W(5)H(1): New Research Article #2 (Basic Research Article)

1. Who conducted the research?

 

2. Why was the study completed (purpose / what researchers hoped to learn) ?

 

3. When was data collected (not the publication year) ?

 

4. Where was data collected (physical location) ?

( examples:

in hospitals in NY State,

in rural China,

in 3 countries in Africa: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Djibouti)

 

5. How was data collected (methodology)? Cut and paste the paragraph below that describes the methodology and HIGHLIGHT the indicator words that specifically show you the methodology :

 

6. What were the findings? Cut and paste the paragraph below that describes the findings and HIGHLIGHT the sentences that specifically show you the summary of findings:

 

W(5)H(1): New Research Article #3 (Basic OR Applied Research Article)

1. Who conducted the research?

 

2. Why was the study completed (purpose / what researchers hoped to learn) ?

 

3. When was data collected (not the publication year) ?

 

4. Where was data collected (physical location) ?

( examples:

in hospitals in NY State,

in rural China,

in 3 countries in Africa: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Djibouti)

 

5. How was data collected (methodology)? Cut and paste the paragraph below that describes the methodology and HIGHLIGHT the indicator words that specifically show you the methodology :

 

6. What were the findings? Cut and paste the paragraph below that describes the findings and HIGHLIGHT the sentences that specifically show you the summary of findings:

 

W(5)H(1): New Research Article #4 (Applied Research Article)

1. Who conducted the research?

 

2. Why was the study completed (purpose / what researchers hoped to learn) ?

 

3. When was data collected (not the publication year) ?

4. Where was data collected (physical location) ?

( examples:

in hospitals in NY State,

in rural China,

in 3 countries in Africa: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Djibouti)

 

5. How was data collected (methodology)? Cut and paste the paragraph below that describes the methodology and HIGHLIGHT the indicator words that specifically show you the methodology :

 

6. What were the findings? Cut and paste the paragraph below that describes the findings and HIGHLIGHT the sentences that specifically show you the summary of findings:

 

Now that you have found all the parts to your research ‘scavenger hunt’, you need to consider what order you will present these in. Complete the next Activity to help you determine a logical order to present research. This Activity will be needed later, as well. Only after completing the Activity can you write your Review of Literature.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13a

 

 

 

Student Sample: Review of Literature

Review of Literature

Adverse Pregnancy Outcome Factors

Darling et al. (2021) conducted a study between 2001 and 2018 to examine the efficiency of qualified interventions in preterm birth, small for gestational age, low birth weight, neonatal death, cesarean deliveries, maternal care satisfaction, and coast effectiveness programs. A systematic review was used to collect data from the United States, France, Spain, and the Netherlands. The studies consisted of mostly non- Caucasian women from low-income population ranging from 12 to 46 years of age and being between 20 to 32 weeks’ gestation. Interventional programs were implemented into three categories: group prenatal care, augmented prenatal care, or a combination of both group and augmented prenatal care (Darling et al. 2021). The researchers found that certain interventions, such as prenatal care and augmented care, or a combination of both, may decrease adverse outcomes in small-for-gestational-age and preterm birth, and could aid in increasing maternal care satisfaction. Interventions that worked on enhancing coordination of care were found to result in providing more effective cost savings. The researchers also found disparities in the quality of access to care in the vulnerable population. There was insufficient evidence of suitable quality to confirm that the interventions were successful at enhancing clinical outcomes in prenatal care for at risk populations (Darling et al. 2021).

Similar observations were made in a study conducted by Nichols and Cohen (2020), between 2006 and 2018 to examine the methods used to improve the results of maternal mortality in California. The study was conducted using a scoping review to evaluate research on women and maternal health in the United States. The researchers used information from the US Maternal Fetal Medicine Network to measure the percentage of studies where pregnant women, women, and children were the main focus. The researchers also reviewed documentation on healthcare policies and practices from California’s public health department, healthcare foundation, and Maternal Quality Care Collaborative. Nichols and Cohen (2020) found that although the health of fetus and children could be adversely affected by the health of the mother, the majority of maternal programs in the United States places emphasis on the child. The researchers also found four areas of concern in women health experiences, both in pre and postnatal care. The problem areas entailed inadequate investment in women’s health, inefficient quality of care and avoidable caesarean delivers, expanding disparities in minority women and women living in rural areas, and contradictory collection and distribution of data (Nichols & Cohen, 2020).

Approaches to Improving Pregnancy Outcomes

In contrast to the preceding studies, Zhang et al. (2013) conducted a study between 2005 and 2007 to calculate the excessive rate of unfavorable outcomes in pregnancy within racial and ethnic groups. The study also aimed to measure the possibility of Medicaid savings that are linked to paid maternal care claims resulting from the inequalities that contribute to unfavorable maternal outcomes. A cross-sectional study using Medicaid Analytic eXtract (MAX) data was used to gather pregnancy outcome information from inpatient hospitals from 14 states (Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, North Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Maryland, Missouri, Tennessee, South Carolina, Virginia, and Texas). The study consisted of a little over 2 million patients who were insured with Medicaid and had a delivery code of maternal delivery stay. Zhang et al. (2013) found that, with the exception of gestational diabetes, African American women showed the worst outcomes out of all unfavorable pregnancy outcomes. These disparities are postulated as being multi-factorial, having causes stemming from complicated experiences with racism, poverty, and complex healthcare interactions. It was also found that women covered under Medicaid health insurance were more likely to have consistency in care from prenatal care through delivery compared to their counterparts. However, due to participation in Medicaid programs being influenced by reimbursement rates, some providers may choose to stop accepting Medicaid patients because of reimbursement delays and low payment rates, which could contribute to negative birth outcomes (Zhang et al., 2013).

 

3. Analysis of Literature

In that last paragraph, you will analyze what you have learned about your research problem through the research summarized in the Review of Literature. Different courses may ask you to consider varying but specific things during your analysis. In KG 604, you will present what is the same among your 3-4 research articles and what is different among methodologies, findings, and recommendations. After completing the Activity on the next pager, decide on the order in which you will present research articles and write your Review of Literature.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

Activity: Analyze Your Research Articles: Compare and Contrast

Directions

Use Activity: Notes for Research Articles, Notice My Capitalization (on the pages between 13 and 14) to help you analyze below what is the same among your 3 research articles and what is different.

You must use language like the words listed below:

Sample comparison words Sample contrast words

 

…similar to… …different from…

 

…like… …however…

 

…also… …on the other hand…

 

Example for You

If asked to write a complete sentence, comparing similarities among my research articles, I might come up with something like below. The example below only features two research articles. Be sure to include all of yours.

1. What articles have similarities in each section below?

a. Methodology

Dall’Ora et al. (2015) and Stimpfel et al. (2012) both used qualitative methods with large sample sizes; 31,627 (Dall’Ora et al., 2015) and 22,275 (Stimpfel et al., 2012)

b. Findings

Both studies (Dall’Ora et al., 2015; Stimpfel et al., 2012) found a strong association between longer shifts and job dissatisfaction and the negative effects on patient satisfaction.

c. Recommendations

Both studies (Dall’Ora et al., 2015; Stimpfel et al., 2012) suggest policy makers to use the findings to reconsider their current approach of increasing hours due to nurse shortage because of the long-term negative effects on nurses and patients.

 

1. What articles have similarities in each section below?

 

a. Methodology

 

b. Findings

 

c. Recommendations

 

 

2. What articles have differences in each section below?

 

a. Methodology

 

b. Findings

 

c. Recommendations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16a

 

 

 

Student Sample: Analysis of Literature

 

Analysis of Literature

In the United States, the persistence of maternal mortality continues to be a problem area in public health. The contributing factors that impact pregnancy outcomes persist in burdening the U.S., leading to poor healthcare quality, and increasing health disparities. The studies used in this literature review each used a different form of research methodology to collect data, including systematic and scoping reviews and cross-sectional studies. Similarly, Darling et al. (2021), Nichols and Cohen (2020), and Zhang et al. (2013) have emphasized the correlation between race/ethnicity and financial status playing a part in influencing quality of care, access of care, and pregnancy outcomes in pregnant minority women. To mitigate the disparities in maternal health Darling et al. (2021) and Zhang et al. (2013) suggested that interventions should be inspected and geared towards determining and eradicating the racial and ethnic disparities that affect pregnancy-related outcomes. Whereas Nichols and Cohen (2020) suggested focusing on exploring the distinctive experiences of particular at-risk subgroups of women, such as women in prison, who are of childbearing age, and the pregnant women who are less likely to pursue prenatal care, such as undocumented women.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

Activity: Checklist for the Literature Review

 

( your professor may want this to be submitted with your literature review)

Part 1: Introductory Paragraph to Literature Review

 

Steps	Description of Steps	Check
1	Opening sentence: isolate your research problem, with citation
2	Explain why it is necessary to solve this problem
3	Ensure your reader that you have only included research articles in the literature review and identify the main theme among them
4	If you notice multiple factors, you should list them
5	Include the names of the databases you used to conduct your research from the Monroe College Library
6	Lastly, list any search words/terms you used in order to find your research articles

 

 

Part 2: Review of Literature

 

1st paragraph is the objective summary of the first research article with limitations.

 

2nd paragraph includes a transition word from the first research article to the objective

 

summary of the second research article with limitations.

 

3rd paragraph includes a transition word from the first research article to the objective

 

summary of the second research article with limitations.

Flow

 

Is organized by findings, geography, methodology, or time

 

Uses headings to help your readers find their way

 

Uses transition words like compare/contrast words so the reader sees the flow

 

from article to article

 

Sample comparison words Sample contrast words

 

…similar to… …different from…

 

…like… …however…

 

…also… …on the other hand…

 

Part 3: Analysis of Literature

 

Includes similarities and differences of methodologies

 

Includes similarities and differences of findings

 

Includes similarities and differences of recommendations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17a

 

 

Discussion: Mitigation Recommendation

17b

 

 

Important: the requirements of the Discussion Section may differ from one course to the next. Therefore, it is very important to read directions carefully to understand what your professor is asking.

 

For KG 604, you will use research conducted throughout the semester that reports on your research problem; you will use this to introduce your discussion. This is important, as it provides ‘proof’ that the problem is relevant today.

 

Activity: Reintroduce and Summarize the Problem and Populations Affected

(think of this like your formal introduction into the Discussion section)

 

Complete the Orange Columns.

 

Steps	Task	Description of Steps	Your Notes	In-Text Citations
1	Summarize:	Whatever your research problem is, you will need to summarize the proof that the problem exists today by	1. Identify the problem:     2. Identify populations affected:     3. Identify the location:
	1. the problem 2. populations affected by	providing an ‘example’ of your research problem happening in the world.
	the problem 3. location of the problem, if applicable	For your ‘example’, you will use articles found for KG- 604, but in other courses it may be a case study from
		your textbook, a summary of
		the problem provided by your
		professors, or you may need
		to find a relevant ‘case’ on
		your own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Activity: Find a Company/Organization/Policy Working to Mitigate the Problem

17c

 

Complete the orange columns in your notebook.

Steps	Task	Description of Steps	Your Notes	In-Text Citations
2	Use p. 18 to find and summarize an existing evidence-based solution to use as a foundation to YOUR recommendation.	Conduct further research using methods on p. 18 to find a company/organization/ program/policy that is doing a good job trying to mitigate this problem (this could be from another state or even another country where populations are comparable).	1. Name of company/organization/ program/policy:         2. Include detailed evidence that this ‘solution’ is working (do not forget to include dates/years, and statistics as support):         3. Identify specific ‘parts’ of the ‘solution’ that you wish to recommend:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guidance: Foundation to Your Recommendation

 

Through Your Existing Sources

 

1. Go to your news article or any of the research articles used for the Literature Review

 

2. Do any of the above sources mention a policy, program, law, etc. that has been implemented to help reduce the problem?

 

3. If yes, go to Google and find that policy, program, law etc. (save it)

 

4. If no, proceed below.

 

Through Additional Sources

 

If your news article or any of your research articles do not tell you about a law, policy, or program etc. that has been implemented to help reduce your research problem, please use the guidance below to help you find a foundation policy, program, law, etc. You will need this for next class.

 

1. Go to Google -OR- the Monroe College Library databases associated with your major (see pp. 8-9 in the Foundations text for databases you should be using)

 

2. Type in the search bar your research problem + population + chosen search term

 

 

Your Research Problem	+ Population +	Search Terms
		· Legislation · Policy · Law · Intervention · Program · Education

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

Activity: Develop Your Recommendation with Evidence

 

Complete the orange columns in your notebook.

 

Steps	Task	Description of Steps	Your Notes	In-Text Citations
3	Form your recommendation	Use your selected company/organization/ program/policy as a basis for your recommendation.	Connect this recommendation to the research problem.   1. Identify what is the same and different between your research population and the ‘solution’s’ population:   Same:     Different:     2. Explain how you envision the “specific parts of the ‘solution’” helping to mitigate your research problem:

 

 

 

 

 

18a

 

 

 

.

Student Sample: Discussion

Discussion

There is current evidence that racial disparities in healthcare among pregnant women continues to be a problem in the United States. In an article published by The New York Times, there has been a persistence and growth in racial disparity throughout the years despite calls to take action to improve medical care access for women of color (Rabin, 2019). Similarly, in a study conducted by Nichols and Cohen (2019) mounting disparities continue amid women health outcomes in the United States, primarily among race and ethnicity and within residents living in urban and rural areas (Nichols and Cohen, 2019). These disparities directly affect African American, Alaska Native and Native American Women (Rabin, 2019). When compared to other high-income countries, the United States has substandard records in maternal health outcomes, and while the rate of maternal mortality dropped across the world, America’s maternal health outcomes have worsened (Rabin, 2019).

To reduce the disparities among minority women policy changes have been made. Federal law enacted the Preventing Maternal Death Act providing states with grants to explore, examine and investigate pregnancy related deaths for up to one year after the birth of a child (Rabin, 2019). Also, The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists created new guidelines in treating cardiovascular disease in pregnant women (Rabin, 2019). In 2014 Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM) was developed by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology to collaborate with partners of the states and hospitals to gather information on safety measures being taken to improve maternal health outcomes, allowing partners to assess and track program progress (Nichols and Cohen, 2019). In the study conducted by Nichols and Cohen (2019), two out of the various programs that California implemented were the Black Infant Health Program (BIH) and increasing the states income eligibility for pregnant women to 200% of the federal poverty level. With the implementation of these programs, mortality rates decreased from 22.1% to 8.3% in the best practices toolkit, a program developed for hemorrhage and high blood pressure during pregnancy. Altogether, California’s maternal mortality rate decreased by above 50% between 2006 and 2018 (Nichols and Cohen, 2019). To prevent negative pregnancy outcomes in women of color, California used federal funds to develop programs that focused on African American mothers and the health determinants that are influenced by social and structural factors. The Black Infant Health Program provided support to African American women through group trainings, entailing of stress reduction, life skills development, and building social support (Nichols and Cohen, 2019). Nearly half of the babies born in the United States are insured under Medicaid which covers the child through the first year of life. However, in most states, Medicaid provides coverage for the mother until 60 days postpartum, after which the mother must meet the federal poverty level to be eligible for coverage (Nichols and Cohen, 2019). This exposes the mother to various risks that can adversely affect her health. Expanding Medicaid access would mitigate the maternal healthcare barriers that affect low socioeconomic minority women.

Racial disparities in maternal healthcare are a persistent problem in the United States. African American mothers experience higher adverse pregnancy outcomes and are less likely to obtain sufficient prenatal care when compared to Caucasian women (Zhang et al., 2013). Similarly, racial disparities among women of color are made worse by partialities in the healthcare that they receive (Nichols and Cohen, 2019). To mitigate racial disparities in maternal health among minority women it is important to understand the determinants that contribute to their health outcomes. With increased federal funding, programs can be geared towards providing quality care to women of color. This can be established by utilizing specific methods of care that are relatable to those being serviced in the community, providing them with medical professionals that are culturally competent and adequately trained in servicing underserved communities, fostering a trusting provider-patient relationship. Nichols and Cohen (2019) suggest that funding should be used to address the social factors that influence maternal health to reduce the psychosocial risks in women who may be more vulnerable to adverse pregnancy outcomes. The pregnancy-related risks of a mother do not end after her child’s birth. The expansion of Medicaid access and coverage would provide a mother with the means of receiving adequate care during all stages of pregnancy and during the postpartum period, in which she can still be adversely affected from her pregnancy. It is vital for the federal government to enact policies requiring states to provide medical coverage to women for one year after the birth of their child. Providing coverage to various specialties would ensure the mother has efficient access to care should adverse symptoms develop. Nichols and Cohen (2019) postulated that state programs should expand Medicaid coverage for women focusing on their healthcare needs before, during and after pregnancy, paying close attention to women’s health and chronic disease management, especially to those who have or had high risk pregnancies. Implementing these programs would develop a foundation in the quality of racial maternal care across all states and provide cohesion and uniformity in the delivery of care.

Conclusion Paragraph

 

For the last paragraph of your research paper, you will simply reiterate and connect main ideas discussed in your paper to your recommendation.

 

Student Sample: Conclusion

 

Conclusion

As seen in one of California’s intervention programs, the Black Infant Health Program (Nichols and Cohen, 2019), a program which provided support to African American women through group trainings, which entailed stress reduction techniques, life skills development, and the building of social support enabled mitigation efforts to be focused and geared around the influencing factors that contributed to adverse pregnancy outcomes among the minority women within the community, thus reducing and preventing negative pregnancy outcomes in women of color. African American, American Indian, and Alaska Native women are up to three times more likely to die from adverse pregnancy related outcomes, a disparity that increases with age (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). In the United States, maternal mortality and adverse health outcomes persist within the minority community and as a result racial disparities in healthcare among pregnant women is a current preventable public health concern, therefore it is vital to understand the determinants of health that influences negative pregnancy related outcomes in minority women.

 

 

Continue to the checklist on the next page; your professor may require it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

 

Activity: Checklist to the Conclusion Paragraph:

22a

 

· I restated my research problem (Y/N)

 

· I restated recommendations provided in the literature review (Y/N)

 

· I have included the name of company/organization/program/policy, which is the basis for my recommendation (Y/N)

· I have explained why I believe the above company/organization/program/policy will work to mitigate the problem shown in my news article (Y/N)

 

Space for Notes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

References

RACIAL DISPARITIES IN HEALTH IN PREGNANT WOMEN 23

References (bold, centered, & on the first line)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, September 6). Racial and ethnic disparities continue in pregnancy-related deaths. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2019/p0905- racial-ethnic-disparities-pregnancy-deaths.html

0.5”

1 tab (hanging indent)

 

Darling, E. K., Cody, K., Meara Tubman-Broeren, & Marquez, O. (2021). The effect of prenatal care delivery models targeting populations with low rates of PNC attendance: A systematic review. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 32(1), 119- 136. https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/effect-prenatal-care-delivery-modelstargeting/docview/2507722229/se-2

Nichols, C. R., & Cohen, A. K. (2021). Preventing maternal mortality in the United States: Lessons from California and policy recommendations. Journal of Public Health Policy, 42(1), 127-144. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41271-020-00264-9

Rabin, R. C. (2019, May 8). Huge racial disparities persist in pregnancy-related deaths, and are growing. New York Times, A20(L). https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A584694288/ITOF?u=nysl_me_moncol&sid=bookmarkITOF&xid=b9422ff9

Zhang, S., Cardarelli, K., Shim, R., Ye, J., Booker, K. L., & Rust, G. (2013). Racial disparities in economic and clinical outcomes of pregnancy among Medicaid recipients. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 17(8), 1518+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A344827866/PPNU?u=nysl_me_moncol&sid=bookmarkPPNU&xid=51747d5

Lead authors are listed on this page alphabetically

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rubric for References Page

 

Please check off where your assignment is on each criterion in this rubric Complete and submit it with your assignment

 

Criteria	Excellent	Not yet excellent
	Word References is in bold and centered 1” from top of page	Word References is not yet in bold and centered 1” from top of page
Everything, including the page number, is in Times New Roman 12. Page number is in upper right corner	Everything, including the page number, is in Times New Roman 12. Page number is in upper right corner	Not everything on the page is yet in Times New Roman 12 point in upper right corner
Each reference is correctly formatted in APA 7 style	Each reference is correctly formatted in APA 7 style	Not all references are yet correctly formatted in APA 7 style
References are double-spaced, in alphabetical order, with no extra spaces between them	References are double-spaced, in alphabetical order, with no extra spaces between them	References are not yet double- spaced, in alphabetical order, with no extra spaces between them

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References Format for Journal Articles – APA 7

 

 

‘Formula’ for Journal Articles:

 

Lastname, FirstInitial. MiddleInitial., & Lastname, FirstInitial. MiddleInitial. (Year). Title of article following capitalization rules: Capitalize the first letter of first word, first letter of first word after mid-title punctuation, and any Proper Noun. Title of Academic Journal: Proper Noun Capitalization, vol#(issue#), page#-page#. Full doi web address