Church Partnerships News
Equipping and Empowering Faith Communities to do Holistic Health Promotion
Volume 8, Issue 10
Candice Coleman, Supervisor
614-546-4974
[email protected]
October 2014
Kate Whitman, MSE, BSN, RN Manager
614-546-4062
[email protected]
6150 East Broad St. • Columbus, Ohio 43213
Community in Crisis
In 2011, the infant mortality rate of Ohio was ranked 5th worst in the nation, while the Franklin County area
had a rate twice as high as New York City's. That same year, 174 infants died locally, with Black babies dying
at twice the rate of White babies. We are a community in crisis. It is often said in public health arenas that
"the health of our community reflects the health of our babies".
What is infant mortality? It is defined as babies dying before their 1st birthday. With nearly 3 families losing
a baby each week our community has catapulted into an infant mortality crisis. In Franklin County alone 95
babies have died from the beginning of 2014 through July 2014. 47% of those infant deaths were born to
Non-Hispanic Blacks, which is higher than the national percentage of 26%.
Infant Mortality has been made a priority by state and local public health systems, hospital systems,
government officials, and community organizations. The Greater Columbus Infant Mortality Task Force,
formed by Columbus City Council President Andrew Ginther, has developed a plan to reduce the infant
mortality rate of Columbus and Franklin County. Additional state and local groups have formed to develop
programming to address key risk factors:
Pregnancies spaced less than 18 months apart
Mother's health before and during pregnancy
Unplanned pregnancy
Late or no prenatal care
Unsafe sleep for infants
Prematurity (born before 37 weeks) and low birth weight
Together, we can save babies and improve the health of our community. To play an active part in the fight
visit http://www.columbus.gov/publichealth/programs/infant-mortality-overview/
When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she
no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
John 16:21