PHILADELPHIA, PA – PolicyMap, an online data and mapping company, has announced the integration of Surgo Health’s Granular Maternity Vulnerability Index (gMVI) into its platform. This powerful tool aims to address maternal health disparities in the United States by identifying areas where mothers face the greatest risks to their health and well-being.
The U.S. has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed nations, with significant racial, economic, and geographic disparities. Data from the gMVI highlights the challenges Black women face, who are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes compared to white women. Similarly, American Indian and Alaska Native women are 2.6 times more likely to experience poor maternal health conditions.
The gMVI uses a comprehensive approach by combining over 50 factors, including socio-demographics, healthcare access, physical and social environments, and health behaviors. This detailed dataset sheds light on community-level inequalities and allows for more targeted interventions.
“The current maternal health crisis reflects deeply on our society’s ability to care for women and families,” said Dr. Sema Sgaier, CEO of Surgo Health. “We built the gMVI to expose these disparities at the community level to bridge the racial maternal health gap and drive meaningful systemic change so that all mothers receive the care they deserve.”
PolicyMap’s integration of this index enhances its extensive database of over 75,000 indicators from more than 170 sources. Users can now visualize how maternal vulnerabilities intersect with other social determinants of health, such as housing insecurity, food scarcity, and limited healthcare access. Key stakeholders, including health systems, public health departments, and advocacy organizations, can leverage this data to make better resource allocation decisions, deploy targeted services, and address high-risk areas effectively.
“The integration of this unique data into PolicyMap enables us to highlight the critical issue of maternal care in our country,” said Maggie McCullough, CEO and Founder of PolicyMap. “By leveraging the insights from the Granular Maternity Vulnerability Index, we empower communities to take action to ensure that all mothers have the opportunity for safe and healthy pregnancies.”
The fusion of the gMVI with PolicyMap’s platform offers a significant opportunity for healthcare providers and policymakers to anticipate challenges, reduce maternal mortality rates, and foster better outcomes for mothers and children nationwide.
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