I have been readying myself for Haiti! I have been practicing my creole, brushing up on some medical terminologies in French, and speaking with my family members back home, I become a tad bit reflective. I cannot help but think back to 2010 when I was helping my mother pack up boxes to send clothes, food, and toiletries to Haiti after the earthquake. I wrestled with the fact that my family should have been doing more to support my family members who have been devastated by the earthquake. My mother and father could not stop crying as the news of family members rolled in about who could not be found in the aftermath of the earthquake. Even in class, I never wanted to seem like the odd kid whose family members died, so I denied that my family members had passed away to classmates who knew that I was Haitian. Although I never met them in person, I knew what their voices sounded like because they called me on the phone for my birthday just to tell me “Bon Anniversaire!” A major part of my heart is taken away from me when I think about my family members in Haiti who passed away. My family in Haiti knew they could not send me any money because they were living in such a low state of poverty. When I first received news of this opportunity to study the state of global health in Haiti, my heart jumped at the opportunity because I knew this would be my chance to give me back as a student and as a young-Haitian American man.
There is a great need for the level of the research that will be conducted at the Hôpital Albert Schweitzer (HAS) in Deschapelles, Haiti. UNICEF reports a neonatal mortality rate in 2011 of 25 per 1,000 live births in Haiti, which is the highest in the Western Hemisphere and among the highest in the world. The postnatal period is a critical phase in the lives of mothers and newborn babies. Most maternal and infant deaths occur during this time. Yet, this is the most neglected period for the provision of quality care. Also, understanding HAS’ paradigms for treatment of expecting mothers, pre- and post- natal, will offer up information about using resources for other third world countries. HAS can be the model for the treatment of mothers in third world countries.
The aim of this study is to assess the newborn health outcomes of pregnant women who receive the HAS recommended pre- and post- natal care, and of those that do not receive the recommended care within the coverage area of HAS through a secondary data analysis. We will examine the burden of newborn health outcomes between the two populations. Assessment of the expectant mother’s self-described pre/post natal needs within the coverage area of HAS through a semi-structured interview will also be investigated.
I believe that I have been well equipped by the Global Health Methods of Research course that I took at Columbia University’s Medical Center with the professors of it’s school of Public Health. I cannot wait to come back to Haiti and see all that there is to explore and experience!
- Luke Nelson