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Prenatal Case Management of Pregnant Women: What Is the Evidence for Its Contribution to a Reduction of Disparities in Perinatal Outcomes?

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Reducing Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Reproductive and Perinatal Outcomes

Abstract

Women who are at high risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes often have inadequate personal, psychological, or financial resources to overcome their multiple social and/or medical risk factors. These women therefore need assistance, support, guidance and oversight from a health or social service professional who meets them “where they are” both geographically and personally. One type of program that provides such assistance and support is case management. Definitions of what constitutes case management vary (Lee, Mackenzie, Dudley-Brown, & Chin, 1998), but generally the definition includes interventions, other than medical or clinical care, that facilitate access to and utilization of health and social services by clients from vulnerable populations (Hall, Carswell, Walsh, Huber, & Jampoler, 2002).

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We wish to express great appreciation to Melissa Sherwin and Anna Wiencrot for their help in preparing this manuscript and to Arden Handler for her careful editing.

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Issel, L.M., Slaughter, J.C., Forrestal, S.G. (2011). Prenatal Case Management of Pregnant Women: What Is the Evidence for Its Contribution to a Reduction of Disparities in Perinatal Outcomes?. In: Handler, A., Kennelly, J., Peacock, N. (eds) Reducing Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Reproductive and Perinatal Outcomes. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1499-6_10

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