The REJOICE Study
The goal of the REJOICE study is to identify how structural racism is operationalized in the NICU. This study was designed to identify racial and ethnic inequities in the standards of care, outcomes, and lived experiences of families and providers in the NICU. The REJOICE study was designed to make sure all babies and families have the opportunity to thrive.
Recent studies looking at care in California NICUs have found that white and Asian babies get better care than Black and Hispanic/Latino infants. One example is Black and Hispanic/Latino infants are more likely to get an infection from being in the hospital.
California study by Profit et al.
Phase 1
Phase 1 of the REJOICE study included collecting data from electronic medical records and by surveying and interviewing providers and families
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 2 included sharing data back to a community advisory board (CAB) to develop recommendations. The CAB included Black and Hispanic/Latinx identifying families who had infants who spent time in the NICU. The CAB and a small group of NICU staff came together over 4 sessions to develop recommendations for how to improve care in the UCSF Intensive Care Unit
Phase 2