The NCPC goals by which our Core is being developed and are currently meeting are:

A. To be a resource center promoting excellence in primary care practice, research and technology.

B. To promote excellence in community outreach programs in and with communities to promote health and prevent disease.

C. To influence health policy by establishing a nationally recognized institute to identify and address policies related to primary care practice and disparities in health.

D. To reform and advance the curricula of medical, nursing and other health profession schools and for all of those who are involved in the helping professions as it relates to issues of maternal and child health…maintaining a gold standard replicable model.

• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Southeastern Regional Training Center (A, B, C, D) In collaboration with Meharry and the other RTC's under CDC, we have developed and completed a survey of Pediatricians; developed new curricula for the training of primary care providers (medical students, residents, practitioners) and allied health providers, and begun implementation of curricular changes at MSM and MMC. A Train the Trainer session will be held before the MSM Primary Care Conference, here at NCPC.

• The Effect of Meditation on Maternal and Child Health (A, B, D) Conduct a randomized clinical trial to investigate the effects of meditation added to a usual prenatal care group compared to a usual prenatal care control group in an African American population. Outcomes include control of maternal blood pressure and decrease in the intervention groups low birth weight rate.

• Postpartum Tobacco Use Relapse Prevention: An Exploratory Study Among Georgia 's Community Health Centers (A, B, C, D) Conduct 12 focus groups among postpartum patients receiving care from Georgia CHC's. The discussions will explore postpartum women's 1) knowledge and attitudes about the effects of tobacco use and exposure to their unborn child during pregnancy and their newborns and children, 2) experiences with health professionals in promoting tobacco cessation and avoidance of environmental tobacco smoke and 3) perceived needs, preferences, and barriers associated with tobacco cessation during the prenatal and postpartum period .

• Depression and Teens Sexual Behavior (A) Is depression associated with risky sexual behaviors among adolescent girls? Medicaid Data Set study.

• Comparison of U.S. and Swaziland Adolescents/Young Adults HIV/AIDS Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior (A,B,C) Examine the cultural dynamics related to HIV/AIDS among peer counselors employed at (3) health care centers that provide HIV prevention education in Swaziland including males and females, ages 14-24. Survey participants will be compared to African American adolescents and young adults in Fulton County, Georgia.

• The Demographics of Children with Sickle Cell Disease (A,C,D) Using Medicaid data for Georgia and the other states avail through the ResDac, identify and clarify usage of hospitals and outpatient centers by young (012 months-18 year old) patients with Sickle Cell Disease.

• Survey of Education of Medical Personnel on STD's and Sexual History Taking (A,D) Assessing GA primary care providers' knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices around Sexual History Taking and STD's. (60% response rate?—check with Dr. Wimberly)

• Achieving Immunizations for All! (A,B,D) To develop and disseminate effective interventions to increase immunization rates in high-disparity populations, especially racial and ethnic minority communities. The program will build on our nation's moderate success in reducing childhood immunization disparities, and attempt to apply lessons learned to the challenge of eliminating disparities in adult influenza and pneumonia immunizations.