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Evaluation of the 2012 18th Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Epidemiology and 22nd CityMatCH MCH Urban Leadership Conference: Six Month Impact on Science, Program, and Policy

Maternal and Child Health Journal volume 18, pages 1565–1571 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

The 18th Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Epidemiology and 22nd CityMatCH MCH Urban Leadership Conference took place in December 2012, covering MCH science, program, and policy issues. Assessing the impact of the Conference on attendees’ work 6 months post-Conference provides information critical to understanding the impact and the use of new partnerships, knowledge, and skills gained during the Conference. Evaluation assessments, which included collection of quantitative and qualitative data, were administered at two time points: at Conference registration and 6 months post-Conference. The evaluation files were merged using computer IP address, linking responses from each assessment. Percentages of attendees reporting Conference impacts were calculated from quantitative data, and common themes and supporting examples were identified from qualitative data. Online registration was completed by 650 individuals. Of registrants, 30 % responded to the 6 month post-Conference assessment. Between registration and 6 month post-Conference evaluation, the distribution of respondents did not significantly differ by organizational affiliation. In the 6 months following the Conference, 65 % of respondents reported pursuing a networking interaction; 96 % shared knowledge from the Conference with co-workers and others in their agency; and 74 % utilized knowledge from the Conference to translate data into public health action. The Conference produced far-reaching impacts among Conference attendees. The Conference served as a platform for networking, knowledge sharing, and attaining skills that advance the work of attendees, with the potential of impacting organizational and workforce capacity. Increasing capacity could improve MCH programs, policies, and services, ultimately impacting the health of women, infants, and children.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Maternal and Child Health Bureau at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP), and CityMatCH for their scientific, administrative, and programmatic contributions to this article. Additionally, the authors would like to thank the 2012 Ad Hoc Conference Planning Committee for their participation in collecting data for the evaluation and the 2012 Conference Evaluation Committee, a subcommittee of the Ad Hoc Conference Planning Committee (denoted in bold), for their design of the conference evaluation tools: Chad Abresch, MEd, Director, CityMatCH; Folorunso Akintan, MD, MPH, Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council; Danielle Arellano, MPH, CDC; Mary Balluff, MS, Chief, Community Health and Nutrition Services, Douglas County Health Department; Wanda Barfield, MD, MPH, CDC; Mary Brantley, MPH, CDC; Elizabeth Conrey, RD, PhD, CDC Assignee to Ohio Department of Health; Deborah Dee, PhD, CDC; Maureen Fitzgerald, MPA, CityMatCH; David A. Goodman, PhD, CDC; Violanda Grigorescu, MD, MSPH, CDC; Cynthia Harding, MPH, Director, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health; Travis Howlette, MPH, CDC; Jessica R. Jones, MPH, HRSA; Russell S. Kirby, PhD, MS, FACE, University of South Florida; Laurin Kasehagen, PhD, CDC Assignee to CityMatCH; Michael Kogan, PhD, HRSA; Charlan D. Kroelinger, PhD, CDC; Mark Law, PhD, CityMatCH; Leslie O’ Leary, PhD, CDC; Joyce Martin, MPH, CDC; Patricia O’Campo, PhD, University of Toronto; Donna Phillips, MPH, CDC; Ellen Pliska, MHS, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials; Italia Rolle, PhD, RD, CDC; Kristin Rankin, PhD, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago; William Sappenfield, MD, MPH, Chair, Department of Community and Family Health, University of South Florida; Laura S. Snebold, MPH, National Association of City and County Health Officials; Caroline Stampfel, MPH, AMCHP; Gina Thornton-Evans, DDS, MPH, CDC; Calondra Tibbs, MPH, Memphis and Shelby County Health Department; Keila Torres, JD, BSN, RN, Drexel University, College of Nursing and Health Professions; Myra Tucker, RN, CDC; and Lee Warner, PhD, MPH, CDC.

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Affiliations

  1. Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Danielle E. Arellano, David A. Goodman, Travis Howlette, Charlan D. Kroelinger, Donna Phillips & Mary D. Brantley

  2. Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, USA

    Danielle E. Arellano & Travis Howlette

  3. CityMatCH, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA

    Mark Law & Maureen Fitzgerald

  4. Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, Washington, DC, USA

    Jessica Jones

  5. Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, MS F-74, Chamblee, GA, 30341, USA

    Danielle E. Arellano

Authors
  1. Danielle E. Arellano
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  2. David A. Goodman
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  3. Travis Howlette
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  4. Charlan D. Kroelinger
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  5. Mark Law
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  6. Donna Phillips
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  7. Jessica Jones
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  8. Mary D. Brantley
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  9. Maureen Fitzgerald
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Danielle E. Arellano.

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Disclaimer: The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health Resources and Services Administration, or the Department of Health and Human Services.

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Arellano, D.E., Goodman, D.A., Howlette, T. et al. Evaluation of the 2012 18th Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Epidemiology and 22nd CityMatCH MCH Urban Leadership Conference: Six Month Impact on Science, Program, and Policy. Matern Child Health J 18, 1565–1571 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-014-1585-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-014-1585-x

Keywords

  • MCH
  • Capacity building
  • Impact assessment
  • Conference evaluation