Dissemination Methods for Maternal Health Programs
A variety of methods may be used for disseminating information about rural maternal health programs. To reach all interested audiences and stakeholders, communities should use a wide range of dissemination strategies. Strategies may include:
- Creating a series of short podcasts or videos discussing program components, methodology, challenges, lessons learned, case studies, and successes (such as RED Talks, a series of brief, 5-minute success stories in Indian Country)
- Sharing presentations from summits addressing maternal health in rural communities (for example, A Conversation on Maternal Health Care in Rural Communities: Charting a Path to Improved Access, Quality and Outcomes, created by CMS)
- Creating social media profiles early on in the program and providing frequent updates
- Creating fact sheets, infographics, or newsletters summarizing the program or evaluation findings
- Developing user-friendly technology to record and track evidence-based information. This tactic will make dissemination easier as information will be stored in one location.
- Holding community forums to present findings, answer questions, and educate community members on how to best support new mothers
These dissemination strategies can help highlight program successes, lessons learned, and best practices and give voice to the important work happening in the community. Dissemination is also an opportunity to engage stakeholders and encourage involvement, which may translate into further community engagement.
Drawing attention to best practices increases the likelihood that successful maternal health programs will be replicated in other rural communities.
For more information on general dissemination methods for rural programs, please see the Rural Community Health Toolkit Methods of Dissemination section.
Resources to Learn More
Dissemination
of Rural Health Research: A Toolkit
Document
An overview of dissemination strategies for general rural health research adaptable to maternal health programs.
Offers recommendations related to graphic design, formatting, layout, and content.
Author(s): Schroeder, S. & Bauman, S.
Organization(s): Rural Health Research Gateway
Date: 8/2019