Clare C. Brown

Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Education in the Department of Health Policy and Management, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

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About Clare

Dr. Brown’s research focuses on reducing racial/ethnic health disparities in adverse perinatal outcomes. Her current K01 (National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities [NIMHD]) evaluates algorithmic fairness in predictive models for low birthweight. She additionally serves as a Senior Research Fellow for the Institute for Medicaid Innovation in Washington, D.C., where she previously served as a Women’s Health Research & Policy Fellow.

Contributions | No Jargon Podcast | Member Spotlight | In the News | Publications

Contributions

Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Pregnancy-Associated Death: The Critical Importance of Disaggregation by Cause of Death and Race/Ethnicity

Commentary, July 2024

In the News

Quoted by My Ly in "UAMS Study Finds Reduced Participation in WIC during Pandemic," The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, January 17, 2024.

Quoted by Marine Glisovic in "WIC Participation Sees Sharp Decline during COVID-19 Pandemic, New UAMS Study Reveals," KATV, January 16, 2024.

Quoted by Alex Kienlen in "University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Researcher Finds WIC Use Dropping during and after Coronavirus Pandemic," KARK 4 News, January 16, 2024.

Quoted by Brenda Lepenski in "New Arkansas Law Aims to Help New Moms Get Screened for Depression," KATV, December 29, 2023.

Guest on A Health Podyssey, February 21, 2023.

Quoted by Frank Diamond in "Why More Granular Racial, Ethnic Data Could Improve Maternal Outcomes," Fierce Healthcare, February 6, 2023.

Quoted by Alex Angle in "The Maternal Mortality Crisis in Arkansas," KNWA, July 10, 2022.

Research discussed by Mackailyn Johnson, in "Taking a Closer Look at Black Maternal Health in Arkansas," THV11, May 22, 2022.

Quoted by Salvador Rizzo in "Pregnancy-Related Deaths Shot up during Pandemic’s First Year," The Washington Post, February 23, 2022.

Guest on Health Affairs Briefing: Perinatal Mental Health, October 8, 2021.

Interviewed in "Studying the Effects of Mental Health and Pregnancy," Beyond the Ozarks, KUAF, October 7, 2021.

Quoted by Matt Kuhrt in "Mental Health Conditions Increase Complications and Costs of Pregnancies, Study Finds," Fierce Healthcare, October 5, 2021.

Quoted by Michael Aaron in "UAMS Study: Medicaid Expansion Improves Birth Outcomes for Black Infants," THV11, April 30, 2019.

Quoted by Julia Belluz in "Giving Black Moms Health Insurance May Save Their Babies’ Lives," Vox, April 26, 2019.

Quoted by Jacqueline Howard in "Medicaid Expansion Tied to Positive Gains for Black Babies," CNN, April 23, 2019.

Publications

"Association of the COVID-19 Pandemic with Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Receipt among Pregnant Individuals: United States, 2016–2022" (with Savannah Busch, Jennifer A. Andersen, Don E. Willis, Pearl Anna McElfish, Sharon Reece, and Dominique DuBois). American Journal of Public Health 113 (2023).

Evaluates whether COVID-19 was associated with changes in WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) utilization during pregnancy. Findings show reduced WIC utilization associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, with larger reductions for American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, Black, and Hispanic individuals relative to White individuals.

"Association Between Mental Health Conditions at the Hospitalization for Birth and Postpartum Hospital Readmission" (with Savana Kuhn, Kristen Stringfellow, Jennifer E. Moore, and Britni Ayers). Journal of Women's Healt 32, no. 9 (2023).

Evaluates whether mental health conditions increased the risk of readmission after delivery. Findings show an increased risk associated with having one, two, or three or more mental health conditions as well as having anxiety, bipolar, depressive, schizophrenic, or trauma/stressor-related conditions.

"Application Status Among Women Enrolled in a Healthy Start Program in Arkansas for the Special Nutrition Program for Women and Children" (with Sharon Reece, Pearl A. McElfish, Jennifer A. Andersen, Britni L. Ayers, Tanvangi Tiwari, Don E. Willis, Brett Rowland, Jacqueline D. Norris, Kristen Beasley, and Philmar Mendoza Kabua). Journal of Community Health 48 (2023): 724–730.

Evaluates factors associated with not yet signing up for WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) among Healthy Start-enrolled individuals eligible for WIC during pregnancy. Finds that Marshallese and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander women, women with private or with no insurance, and those with higher incomes were less likely to have utilized WIC relative to their counterparts.

"Rates of Preterm Birth and Low Birthweight: An Analysis of Racial and Ethnic Populations" (with Jennifer E. Moore and J. Mick Tilford). Health Affairs 42, no. 2 (2023).

Evaluates rates of low birthweight and preterm birth among granular racial/ethnic subgroups. Finds large variation among granular subgroups (e.g., Cuban or Chinese) within broader categories (e.g., Hispanic or Asian), suggesting the need to carefully consider granular racial/ethnic data for perinatal outcomes and evaluations.

"Mental Health Conditions Increase Severe Maternal Morbidity by 50 Percent and Cost $102 Million Yearly in The United States" (with Caroline E. Adams, Karen E. George, and and Jennifer E. Moore). Health Affairs 40, no. 10 (2021): 1575-1584.

Finds that birthing individuals with mental health conditions had increased risk of severe maternal morbidity and delivery hospitalization costs compared to individuals without mental health conditions.

"COVID-19 Vaccination Rates Vary by Community Vulnerability: A County-Level Analysis" (with Sean G. Young and George C. Pro). Vaccine 39, no. 31 (2021): 4245-4249.

Evaluates whether COVID-19 vaccination was associated with seven measures of county-level vulnerability and finds that increased county-level vulnerability was associated with decreased vaccination.

"Race, Medicaid Coverage, and Equity in Maternal Morbidity" (with Caroline E. Adams and Jennifer E. Moore). Women's Health Issues 31, no. 3 (2021): 245-253.

Evaluates the interaction between race/ethnicity and payer to assess factors associated with severe maternal morbidity. Finds large disparities in severe maternal morbidity among racially/ethnically minoritized individuals as well as individuals with Medicaid coverage, with smaller Medicaid-related disparities among Black women.

"Associations Between Comorbidities and Severe Maternal Morbidity" (with Caroline E. Adams, Karen E. George, and Jennifer E. Moore). Obstetrics & Gynecology 136, no. 5 (2020): 892-901.

Finds a dose-response relationship between pre-exiting clinical comorbidities and risk of severe maternal morbidity. Results show that Black women had higher rates of pre-existing conditions, highlighting the need for resource allocation aimed at reducing clinical comorbidities prior to pregnancy.

"Association of State Medicaid Expansion Status With Low Birth Weight and Preterm Birth" (with Jennifer E. Moore, Holly C. Felix, M. Kathryn Stewart, T. Mac Bird, Curtis L. Lowery, and J. Mick Tilford). JAMA 321, no. 16 (2019): 1598-1609.

Evaluates whether Medicaid expansion was associated with changes in rates of low birth weight and preterm birth among infants of different races/ethnicities. Finds that state Medicaid expansion was associated with improvements for Black infants compared with White infants, suggesting reductions in disparities in adverse perinatal outcomes.