Maternal Health in the U.S.: Experiences, Perceptions and Equitable Access
Maternal Health in the U.S.: Experiences, Perceptions and Equitable Access
May 2023 - Maternal Health and Health Disparities in the U.S.
Contact: Alexandra Lewin-Zwerdling FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Senior Advisor Research and Communications
alexandra@rootcausecoalition.org
202.769.9015
(Washington D.C.) — We are excited to share research findings from The Root Cause Coalition showing Americans’ perception, understanding and attitudes about prioritizing maternal health programs and policies.
The full report is available at this link.
Key Insights:
- One-third of Americans say they’re unfamiliar with the term “maternal health”
- When given the definition of maternal health, one-quarter say it is inadequate in the United States; nearly 4 in 10 say it’s adequate only sometimes
- For those who say it isn’t always adequate, the top stated reason is unaffordable quality care
- There are significantly more who say that the President and Congress – compared to individuals - are responsible for increasing access to quality care
- Females with children in the house under 18 believe society should prioritize access to mental health services, affordable childcare, and access to nutritious, affordable food for new mothers
- More than 3 in 4 Americans believe national level policies to support pregnant and new moms could help avoid preventable deaths
Methodology: 1,000 interviews among adults age 18+ were conducted in May 2023 using an online survey. The results were weighted to ensure proportional responses. The Bayesian confidence interval for 1,000 interviews is 3.5, which is roughly equivalent to a margin of error of ±3.1 at the 95% confidence level. Totals may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
About The Root Cause Coalition
The Root Cause Coalition Co-founded by AARP Foundation and ProMedica in 2015, The Root Cause Coalition is a non-profit member-driven organization comprised of more than 90 leading health systems, hospital associations, foundations, businesses, national and community nonprofits, health insurers, academic institutions, local governments, and policy centers. Our common goal is to achieve health equity for every American.