Infant mortality remains an issue in Guilford County, minority groups see some improvements

Guilford County’s recent community health assessment confirms what is true across much of the U.S. — race and ethnicity play large roles in determining health outcomes for expectant mothers and their children. 

Laura Mrosla, who led the assessment, said now it's up to the county and its community partners to address these issues. While the assessment’s throughline is clear, Mrosla, a community health educator for Guilford County, said some statistics don’t tell the whole story. 

For example, the county’s infant mortality rate in 2022 was higher than in 2021. At the same time though, efforts to reduce mortality rates among minority communities seem to have paid off. 

In 2022, the percent of low birth weights decreased across the county. In addition, preterm births among Hispanic and Black people dropped. The Black community also saw a drop in infant mortality as a whole.

"And we’re hoping that those improvements kind of suggest that certain interventions are helping, but we need more time to sort of see how those interventions are impacting the situation," Mrosla said. 

Mrosla says with the newest data available, the Guilford County Division of Public Health can start to work with community partners like local hospitals, nonprofits and other health agencies to address these disparities.
 

Santiago Ochoa covers healthcare for WFDD in partnership with Report For America. Follow him on X and Instagram: @santi8a98