Patricia Homan, Ph.D., Raymond Flavious Bellamy Chair in Population Studies and Associate Professor of Sociology, was recently awarded a $2.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through sponsorship from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD).
Raymond Flavious Bellamy Chair in Population Studies
Associate Professor of Sociology
Dr. Homan serves as the principal investigator (PI) for this project titled “Multi-Level Factors Influencing Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes.” She is joined by five co-investigators, including FSU’s own Miles Taylor, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology and Director of the Pepper Institute on Aging and Public Policy.
This project will draw on a comprehensive set of U.S. state-level indicators collected over the past 20 years and conduct the first in-depth analysis of how state-level contextual factors shape a wide range of maternal and infant health outcomes. By examining perinatal risk factors as potential pathways and differences across maternal racial and ethnic groups, the study aims to generate vital insights to inform future strategies that improve maternal and infant health nationwide.
“Maternal and infant health outcomes in the U.S. are notoriously poor compared to other high-income nations,” Dr. Homan said. “I am excited for this project to advance our understanding of the factors shaping maternal health and healthcare and to generate new insights for the development of future strategies to improve maternal and infant health.”
In addition to these findings, the project will create a publicly accessible database of state context measures, helping to catalyze further research on understudied yet critically important factors influencing health across the United States.
Dr. Homan is a highly involved faculty member at the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, with appointments as the Director of Research & Strategic Initiatives for the Public Health program and Faculty Associate for the Pepper Institute on Aging and Public Policy, as well as the Center for Demography and Population Health.
The R01 is the NIH’s oldest grant program and among the most prestigious for supporting independent, health-related research projects. The award provides substantial funding over multiple years for specific, circumscribed projects, often seen as the primary benchmark of success for independent biomedical researchers.
Grants such as this strengthen the college’s ability to turn cutting-edge research into tangible public impact, enriching the marketplace of ideas that defines our academic community. Building on this support, Dr. Homan’s multi‑year project will advance research into the contextual factors shaping health across U.S. states, while creating new opportunities for student involvement, community partnerships, and real‑world problem solving.
For more about COSSPP’s departments, specialized centers, and research institutes, visit cosspp.fsu.edu.