After reading the article by Thomas et al., comment on where your research, or your research interests, fit into the generational framework for health disparities research. If your work is 1rst or 2nd generation, comment on how your work could lead in the future to 3rd or 4th generation work. If your work is 3rd or 4th generation, comment on what 1rst and 2ndgeneration work was necessary as a foundation for your current work (or current interests).
My current research project, an in-depth qualitative examination of provider interactions during pregnancy and birth for low-income women of color, could be considered 2nd generation as it has thus far explored the factors that contribute to the health disparities seen with preterm birth. Using a qualitative approach, I’ve been able to get at issue such as racism, discrimination, and disrespect in a way not usually well captured. I hope to use the results to structure a 3rd generation intervention project aimed to address these complex issues raised by these women at risk for preterm birth.
The barbershop hypertension intervention, while essentially a clinical services intervention operating at either the fence or safety-net level as described by Jones, has some engagement with the social determinants of health. What aspects of this program might be generalizable to other areas of health? How might this apply to your area of research?
The idea of using key community persons or landmarks to capture populations at risk for disorders, as seen with the barbershop study, could translate over to other health issues, particularly around maternity care and preterm birth. When access to health care facilities is limited, the use of community-based health educators who can provide screening and basic health education services may reduce health disparities.
One example of this type of an intervention is being implemented in several housing projects in San Francisco. In neighborhoods with reduced access to health services due to transportation or safety, people living in the neighborhoods are trained to serve as health educators for that community. I could see potential for these health educators to provide support for pregnant women at risk for preterm birth in the form of education and support that is not otherwise provided. Not only would training community members as health educators be beneficial for addressing health disparities, but it also has the potential to help empower those in the community in the form of jobs, resource allocation, and community building.