Mpower: Empowering mothers for health
This project led by Elena Carbone, Department of Nutrition, University of Massachusetts Amherst, responds to the WUN Shanghai Declaration and the UN General Assembly call to promote health literacy (HL) in parents and empower women as a global strategy to reduce non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Promoting HL empowers individuals and communities to take control over choices and actions that affect their health and their lives. Because many NCDs originate in early development and from health disparities, the maternal health literacy (MHL) of women in poverty is especially vital. Despite the importance of MHL, results of a scoping review led by WUN Health Literacy Network partners indicate that few studies have examined MHL; fewer still have focused on skill development or empowerment of women in poverty. This project is designed to develop a long-term and sustainable research plan to fill these gaps and is part of a five-stage approach to develop a universal research strategy to promote HL in parents and empower women globally. Moreover, this project introduces an innovative community-based participatory method to the field of HL; and focuses on critical HL skills, empowerment, and HL for health protection and promotion — all of which have been largely ignored. The main focus of this project is to: 1) strengthen linkages of an international MHL research team, 2) facilitate two training workshops, 3) stimulate student/early career research development, and 4) submit joint publications. Achievement of these outcomes will lay the foundation for interventions to determine how mothers globally develop skills, knowledge, confidence and ability to maintain their health and that of their family.
We are an international team of researchers passionate about improving the lives of mothers and children by breaking down barriers to health care. Our research focuses on improving maternal health literacy (MHL) by empowering mothers to navigate health care systems, access resources, and make the best decisions for themselves and their families. Ultimately, we aim to promote health literacy and empower women as a global strategy to reduce non-communicable diseases, particularly among women living in poverty.
According to the U.S. Agency for Healthcare and Research Quality, health literacy is increasingly recognized as a key determinant of health with growing evidence that lower health literacy is independently associated with higher rates of morbidity and mortality, poorer health knowledge, greater medication errors and higher hospitalization rates. Further, health literacy levels are lowest among socially disadvantaged groups, the same populations with higher preventable non-communicable disease rates and greater difficulties in accessing health services and managing their health conditions. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified improving health literacy as a key strategy for improving the health of disadvantaged populations and tackling health inequalities in developed and developing countries.
Despite the importance of health literacy, few studies have examined MHL specifically; fewer still have focused on skill development or empowerment of women in poverty. This project is designed to develop a long-term and sustainable research plan to fill these gaps and is part of a five-stage approach to develop a universal research strategy to promote health literacy in parents and empower women globally. Moreover, this project introduces an innovative community-based participatory method to the field of health; and focuses on critical health skills, empowerment, and health for health protection and promotion – all of which have been largely ignored.
Objectives of this grant are:
- To explore the use of innovative, culturally appropriate methods in MHL research
- To expand MHL promotion faculty- and student-led research and intervention globally
- To increase recognition of MHL and empowerment as the foundation of personal and public health worldwide.
For more information, visit the MPower project website.