The death rate of black infants in Florida has made the news again. If you've been reading Blogging Black Miami you know of the black infant mortality rate initiative spearheaded by Florida A&M University. We're not sure how that initiative relates to the initiative that is the subject of the article below but a June 30 deadline may be very difficult to meet.

One thing is certain, this could not have been a surprise to health officials. It is statistics such as these that blacks and other concerned individuals more remain vigilant about.

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State's infant death rates higher for blacks

Task forces in Broward and Miami-Dade seek to find out why black infants die at a higher rate than white infants.

Posted on Sun, Feb. 24, 2008

BY ANDREA ROBINSON

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A black mother in South Florida is almost three times as likely than a white mother to have her baby die before he or she turns a year old.

The Black Infant Health Practice Initiative wants to find out why.

Among the project's chief aims: to review community conditions and stress factors that contribute to higher incidences of still births or fetal and infant deaths. The initiative also wants to hear from local healthcare, political and community leaders, as well as conduct citizen focus groups about the challenges black babies face.

The project has a tight deadline. It's slated to run through June 30. [More...]