PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (August 16, 2021) – Racial and ethnic disparities in pregnancy-related deaths have persisted since studies were first published in the early 2000s. The pregnancy-related mortality ratio (PRMR) measures pregnancy-related deaths per 100,000 live births. Research has shown a higher PRMR among Black and Native American/Alaska Native people than other ethnic groups. Some of the underlying conditions causing these deaths include cardiomyopathy and other cardiovascular conditions, as well as preventable infections. Major keys to combating these conditions are early detection, treatment and improved access to quality health care.
Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) Computer Science Associate Professor Kiran Bellam, Ph.D., has been researching solutions to help identify and treat pregnancy-related health conditions earlier and expand access to high-quality care.
“This is something I’ve been passionate about and researching – trying to find ways to improve access to high-quality care,” she said. “When the Verizon CGI U Social Innovation Challenge came up, health equity was one of the areas – I thought, why not propose a solution?”
Bellam assembled a team of senior computer science students at PVAMU to create iCare (Inclusive Care). This app would provide vital health information and improved access to medical care in an easy-to-use and easy-to-understand digital interface.
“iCare will help new and soon-to-be moms from low socioeconomic backgrounds connect with medical professionals, caregivers, and social workers that actually care,” said team lead Jessica Perez. “The app will also house an AI-based diagnosis feature. It will assist with transportation services, provide nutritional guidance, and offer mentoring from veteran moms, along with several other services. The ultimate goal is to help eliminate all barriers to help women receive the medical care they need.”
As the lead developer, Perez has been coordinating the team’s deliverables and managing the project’s overall development. Along with Perez, the group includes Brittney Booker and Katerra Stamps.
“Our team, called Panthers Who Byte, consists completely of minority women,” said Stamps. “As women of color, we understand the importance of how the lack of resources affects the ability to succeed in life and become productive members of society. As a group, our passion is people, and we have a moral, spiritual, and civic obligation to improve and serve our communities. Our app will allow mothers in low-income areas to have access to medical resources and attempt to mend the distrust towards the medical field by establishing healthy and consistent relationships with physicians.”
Members of Panthers Who Byte from left to right: Katerra Stamps, Jessica Perez, and Brittney Booker.
Panthers Who Byte was one of 14 teams awarded the 2021 Social Innovation Challenge prize from Verizon and the Clinton Global Initiative University.
“This was a worldwide competition with thousands of schools competing,” said Pamela Obiomon, Ph.D., dean of the Roy G. Perry College of Engineering. “This shows how talented and hard-working the students and faculty in the Roy G. Perry College of Engineering are. It also shows that our students are developed and prepared to be globally competitive.”
The team received a $5,000 grant toward technical development and a $6,000 stipend per team member as part of the award. They are also working with startup accelerator VentureWell to receive entrepreneurial training and mentorship, along with guidance on technical development and formulating a sustainable business model. At the end of the challenge period, teams will be invited to pitch their solutions to receive an additional $20,000 in seed funding from VentureWell.
“If they win it in the next stage, that’s a big deal. They will get the funding to make the iCare app available to the community,” said Bellam.
The competition is highly competitive, with teams from across the country spending months refining code and developing pitch presentations. Bellam notes one of the major hurdles with the app will be meeting strict Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations, which limit the types of data that can be included in the app.
“When it comes to medical data, it has to be HIPPA compliant. There’s so much to take into consideration,” she said. “The problem we are tackling is so important; even a minor improvement is a good thing.”
Even if the team doesn’t move into the next round of the competition, Bellam said the project would continue to be developed through the Computer Science Department at PVAMU.
“Our ultimate goal is to help eliminate barriers like distance to healthcare facilities, lack of knowledge, and inaccessible support systems for women in low-socioeconomic communities,” said Booker, who currently serves in the Prairie View Naval ROTC. “For now, our app, iCare, is the face of our project, but with the right resources, we hope to revolutionize medical care with the implementation of what we call an iCare kiosk.”
All three women discovered computer science after enrolling at PVAMU, and through the curricula, they have developed the knowledge and skills to carry the project forward.
“I am very grateful to be a student of the Computer Science Department at PVAMU where professors go out of their way to communicate with us with open opportunities and pushing us out of our comfort zone to be productive aside from school hours,” said Perez.
The next phase of the competition will include app development and entrepreneurial training through the VentureWell E-Team program, which is taking place this summer. CGI U launched in 2007 and includes a network of more than 10,000 alumni from 1,100 schools worldwide. As part of the 2021 cohort, PVAMU’s team has the opportunity to join and network with other alumni members.
“We have the keys to the future,” said Booker. “It is up to us, the new generation and generations to come, to shape our future as a nation and as a people. At PVAMU, we have a rich history, so think of being an innovator as paying homage to our rich history and ancestors. That is the ultimate honor.”
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