Maternal Mortality in the United States has been an issue that has grown over the years despite the advancement of healthcare in America. African American women experience the highest rates of Maternal Mortality among other groups in America. This field has been studied more recently by authors like Monique Rainford, who argues topics like what more healthcare can do to help this group of women, but not many pieces touch on what healthcare has done to cause these maternal mortality rates among African American women. This research explores how healthcare affects the Maternal Mortality rate of African American women in the United States while touching on the current status of Maternal Mortality of African American women, how healthcare disparities affect African American women, how Maternal mortality affects infant mortality, and what currently works to help the maternal mortality rates of African American women. My research shows that accountability and respect are important factors when it comes to maternal health outcomes among African American Women. I will touch on African American women’s struggles with healthcare, how these issues can cause more problems as time progresses, and how other social determinants of health affect their healthcare experiences. In conclusion, this research examines African American women’s experiences in the United States Healthcare system and reveals the impact of healthcare systems on this group of women. This work is essential because it can help make the future experiences of African American mothers in the United States more positive.

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) refers to the multitude of conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels within the body. Accounting for an estimated 17.9 million casualties each year, CVD is one of the leading causes of mortality in the world. With this significantly high number of individuals affected by CVD each year, researchers have come to understand the impact of low muscular strength on cardiovascular risk factors (Jaramillo 2022). Several clinical trials have found that handgrip strength can significantly improve cardiovascular risk factors as well as reduce the risk for cardiovascular related death. However, as we start to look at some of the conditions that increase an individual’s likelihood of developing CVD, many are not aware of the additional risk factors that are specifically prevalent in women, such as postmenopausal status, complications during pregnancy, and a hysterectomy. Additionally, further research is still needed to fully understand the relationship between handgrip strength and cardiovascular risk factors, especially in older women. Therefore, by using a quantitative approach, the objective of this study is to explore if cardiovascular risk factors relate to an individual’s handgrip strength measurements. Also, this study explores the relationship between cardiometabolic risk factors (such as obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and fitness) and handgrip strength.

This presentation describes a mixed methods study that investigates the role of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and treatment techniques surrounding mental health and self-advocacy for individuals with complex communication needs (CCN). Individuals with CCN face a higher risk of mental health issues, yet there is a gap in understanding the influence of AAC on mental health and self-advocacy (Watson et al., 2021). This gap in understanding is addressed by exploring the following questions. 1. How does having complex communication needs affect mental health? 2. What treatment techniques using AAC devices help individuals express their experiences? 3. How does the use of AAC increase self-advocacy skills in individuals with complex communication needs? Through surveys and structured interviews, the perspectives of AAC users, parents of AAC users, and speech-language pathologists were captured to explore the relationship between CCN and mental health as well as identify treatment techniques that inform teaching in educational and clinical practices.