# Reducing Racial Disparities and Maternal Mortality Associated with Untreated Peripartum Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders

> **NIH NIH R34** · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · 2020 · $225,750

## Abstract

1. ABSTRACT
Maternal mortality in the United States is higher than any other developed country and non-Hispanic black
women are dying at 2.5 times the rate of non-Hispanic white women, and 3.1 times the rate of Hispanic
women. Methodological differences between studies investigating the timing and etiology of maternal mortality
vary, but studies including self-harm and extending to the full year postpartum demonstrate that drug overdose
and suicide combined are the leading cause of maternal mortality. While rates of detection and treatment of
Substance Use Disorder (SUDs) and Mental Health Disorders (MHD) during pregnancy and the year
postpartum [i.e., peripartum period] are low for all women, there are clear racial inequities that need to be
addressed as part of an overall strategy to reduce maternal mortality and create health equity. With the support
of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) parent award (R34 DA04673) we developed Listening to
Women (LTW); a mobile phone-based program designed to improve peripartum SUD and MHD screening, and
treatment as well as enhance communication between women, obstetric and addiction/psychiatric providers
during pregnancy and throughout the postpartum year. Preliminary data demonstrate significant improvements
in Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) with LTW, compared to in-person SBIRT.
We also identified racial disparities with in-person SBIRT, which were not present with LTW. The long-term
goal of this proposal is to inform the development of an effective, patient-informed intervention to reduce racial
disparities and morbidity and mortality associated with untreated peripartum SUDs and MHDs. The objectives
of the current application are to work with community partners, peer-led SUD and MHD recovery organizations
and peripartum black women to: 1) better understand barriers to identifying, and treating peripartum SUDs and
MHDs; and 2) modify LTW based on this feedback. This research will result in a critical advance in the
development of a program to reduce racial disparities and maternal mortality due to untreated peripartum
SUDs and MHDs as well as enhance communication and coordination of care between healthcare providers.
In addition, this study will generate preliminary data necessary for further efficacy testing of the LTW program.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10200501
- **Project number:** 3R34DA046730-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
- **Principal Investigator:** CONSTANCE GUILLE
- **Activity code:** R34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $225,750
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2019-03-15 → 2022-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10200501

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10200501, Reducing Racial Disparities and Maternal Mortality Associated with Untreated Peripartum Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders (3R34DA046730-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10200501. Licensed CC0.

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