Beyond Statistics: Addressing Racial Disparities in Black Maternal Mortality through the Theory of Fundamental Causes and the Maternal Care and Equity Intervention

Itohan Comfort Egbedion; Vincent Uche Barrah; Chioma Veronica Opara

doi:10.56201/ijhpr.vol.10.no5.2025.pg101.113

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Beyond Statistics: Addressing Racial Disparities in Black Maternal Mortality through the Theory of Fundamental Causes and the Maternal Care and Equity Intervention

Itohan Comfort Egbedion, Vincent Uche Barrah, and Chioma Veronica Opara

Abstract

Despite advances in medical technology and knowledge, Black women in the United States experience a disproportionately high rate of maternal morbidity and mortality, driven by intersecting structural, institutional, and interpersonal forms of racism. These disparities persist across income and education levels, underscoring the impact of systemic racism and structural inequality rather than individual behavioral factors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public health authorities have declared this crisis preventable, yet solutions remain fragmented and insufficient. This paper examines the persistent crisis of maternal mortality among Black women in the United States through the lens of the Theory of Fundamental Causes. By analyzing the structural inequities that perpetuate this health crisis, this research identifies key sociocultural, economic, and political determinants that create and sustain maternal health disparities and proposes the Maternal Care and Equity intervention (MCEI), a comprehensive, evidence-based intervention program that addresses both immediate healthcare needs and underlying systemic factors. The Maternal Care and Equity intervention (MCEI) integrates culturally competent clinical practices, policy reforms, digital health innovations, and community engagement strategies. By targeting the social determinants of health and the systemic barriers within maternal health care, the MCEI aims to mitigate racial inequities and improve maternal outcomes for Black women. This article calls for integrated, evidence-informed approaches to policy, practice, and research in addressing racial disparities in maternal health. This research contributes to the broader discourse on health equity by demonstrating how targeted interventions grounded in social theory can dismantle persistent racial disparities in healthcare.

Keywords

Black maternal mortalityracial health disparitiesstructural racismmaternal

References

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Beyond Statistics: Addressing Racial Disparities in Black Maternal Mortality through the Theory of Fundamental Causes and the Maternal Care and Equity Intervention

Abstract

Keywords

References

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