The MCH Epidemiology program is housed within the Maternal Child Health Services (MCHS) Unit of the NJDOH, FHS, and currently falls under the supervision of the Research Scientist I who serves as the Project Director for the NJ Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), Project Director for the State Systems Development Initiative (SSDI) and oversees all MCH Epidemiology activities. Presently the team encompasses a lead full-time MCH epidemiologist and one full-time Research Scientist II responsible for managing/analyzing MCH data and two FTE vacancies. MCH Epidemiology positions are funded by Title V, MCH Block Grant, and the SSDI grant.

The MCH Epidemiology program recently recruited a Research Scientist I who is responsible for research, design, coordination, and implementation of all programs and activities within the MCH Epidemiology program. Duties include: serving as the PRAMS Project Director; designing and developing research protocols and data evaluation for the Healthy Women, Healthy Families initiative; preparing technical reports and needs assessments for programs; developing, reviewing, and analyzing publications and other documents pertaining to current MCH research developments; disseminating information to internal and external professional staff; and serving as the SSDI Project Director.

The Research Scientist II serves as the NJ PRAMS Coordinator. Her responsibilities include: completing all SSDI required progress reports and continuation applications; responding to internal and external data requests; providing overall coordination of the PRAMS project; organizing PRAMS Steering Committee meetings; assuring compliance with the PRAMS protocol; coordinating the dissemination of PRAMS data and the development of PRAMS data briefs, topic reports, and the NJ State Health Assessment Data (NJSHAD) system PRAMS data query; and completing all PRAMS progress reports and continuation applications.

The MCH Epidemiology program is currently in the process of hiring a Health Data Specialist. The prospective candidate will promote the health of pregnant women, infants, and children through the analysis of trends in MCH data and facilitate efforts aimed at developing strategies to improve MCH outcomes. Duties include: linking and analyzing data and conducting applied research projects to provide information about improving health outcomes; linking PRAMS data to birth certificates and/or other data sources and conducting analysis, creating and updating PRAMS-related data for briefs and other reports annually; participating in the routine reporting of MCH indicators and birth outcomes research by demographic indicators, geography and hospital; conducting data linkages and analysis for SSDI; and responding to internal and external data requests. Interviews for this position have been conducted, and a candidate has been identified to hire.

The MCH Epidemiology unit is working arduously to build and expand the NJ MCH data capacity to support TVP public health interventions and activities while contributing to data-driven decisions making in MCH interventions. To identify the needs of the NJ MCH population, it is paramount for TVP to have access to quality data capable of informing MCH policies, need assessment activities, and program evaluation.

The MCH Epi unit has initiated several efforts to increase data capacity and advance the development and utilization of linked information systems between available datasets (WIC and Vital statistic data) to improve access to electronic MCH health data.  Tile V Epidemiologists within the MCH unit have used Statistical Analysis System (SAS) and Registry Plus™ LinkPlus software to perform deterministic and probabilistic data linkage. The data linkage projects are as follows:

1. Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) Data Linked to NJ Birth Data, Universal Billing data, and WIC Data which allowed for the development of statewide  PRAMS queries that are posted on NJSHAD and updated yearly. Researchers and NJ TVS use the data query to track various programmatic activities, including, infant sleep positioning and breastfeeding practices, etc. This data query allows Title V staff to have more direct and timely access to NJ PRAMS indicators.
2. Epidemiologists within the MCH Epi unit analyzed the linked 2014-2020 dataset and drafted and posted 2 data briefs on the MCH Epidemiology webpage. The data presented in both briefs derives from the 2014-2020 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System weighted survey responses
   1. The first data brief is entitled “Maternal Risk Factors and Adverse Birth Outcomes, 2014-2020” which examines the associations between pregestational and gestational maternal morbidity factors and the risk of adverse birth outcomes (low birth weight, preterm birth, and NICU admission). 
   2. the second is entitled “Tobacco Use and Adverse Birth Outcomes, 2014-2020” which examines associations between tobacco use before, during, and after pregnancy and the risk of adverse birth outcomes (low birth weight, preterm birth, and NICU admission). 
3. A poster presentation entitled: “A Retrospective Investigation of Potential Factors Associated with Pregnancy-Related Deaths- New Jersey; 2009-2018” prepared by MCH Title V Epidemiologists within FHS, was accepted for presentation at the 2022 Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) National Meeting. The study assessed potential changes with regard to pregnancy-related associated factors from 2009-to 2018. Considering that NJ Pregnancy-Related Deaths continue to rise, and racial/ ethnic disparities persist, Title V epidemiologists concluded that these statistics warrant the need for grassroots approaches; the establishment of a sustainable non-clinical perinatal workforce that encompasses CHWs.
4. A poster presentation entitled: “A Pivotal Shift Toward a Sustainable Non-Traditional Perinatal Workforce in New Jersey” prepared by MCH Title V Epidemiologists within FHS, was accepted for presentation at the 2022 Black Maternal Health Conference and Training Institute. The study assessed the need for the establishment of a sustainable non-traditional perinatal workforce (NTPW) in NJ.
5. In the coming year, MCH Epi staff will be linking 2020 NJ PRAMS data to the Postpartum Assessment of Women Study (PAWS). PAWS is an observational cross-sectional study that involves retrospective data collection through a survey of women 12-14 months after childbirth in seven jurisdictions: NJ, New York City, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kansas, Utah, and Michigan. This study is being conducted by public health researchers at Columbia University. The purpose of PAWS is to conduct surveillance of women’s health needs, health insurance status, health care utilization, and social determinants of health in the year following childbirth. The study is designed to help inform states and public health agencies about factors related to postpartum health outcomes. Moreover, data from this effort will potentially inform the development of programs and policies to mitigate maternal morbidity and mortality in the extended postpartum period. Findings will be disseminated in peer-reviewed publications and through other presentations and reports.
6. In the coming year, MCH Epi staff will conduct an evaluation project to ascertain whether the programs implemented through the HWHF initiative have met the goals and objectives of reducing BIM in NJ and inform DOH leadership if the initiative should be continued, modified, or discontinued.