We are excited to have Worcester County was selected as one of the locations across the country to participate in the National Children’s Study. Worcester County has the opportunity to make a significant impact on the health and development of future generations. With a diverse population and a passion to promote the health, development, and well-being of its residents, Worcester County is the ideal location to contribute to the National Children’s Study.
Located in the central Massachusetts, Worcester County borders three different neighboring states and touches both the northern and southern state lines. As the largest county in Massachusetts, Worcester County is renowned for its impact on higher education, business, and the arts, and has evolved into a hub for exceptional healthcare and biomedical research. With its diverse population and community, Worcester County is an ideal representation of the country as a whole for the National Children’s Study.
There are approximately 9,500 births per year to county residents. Based on birth certificate data, 84 percent of the births occurred in Worcester County at the following six delivering hospitals: UMass Memorial Medical Center, Saint Vincent Hospital, Health Alliance Hospital, Milford Regional Medical Center, Heywood Hospital and Harrington Memorial Hospital.
About Worcester County, Massachusetts
Worcester County’s land area is approximately 1,600 square miles and includes rural, suburban and urban areas. From the 2010 Census data, 85.6 percent of the population of 798,552 in Worcester County is white, 9.4 percent Hispanic, 4.2 percent African-American, and 4 percent Asian. From the 2006-2010 Census data (4-year estimate) the percentage of residents living below the poverty level was 9.5 percent and the median household income was $64,152.
Worcester County is located in Central Massachusetts, separated by Western Massachusetts on one side and Eastern Massachusetts with the Greater Boston area on the other side. It stretches from the northern to the southern border of the state. It is the largest county in the state, geographically, comprising of 60 cities and towns nestled in the hills of Central Massachusetts with multiple urban areas and a diversity that is rich in both landscape and culture, with accessibility to major roadways, such as the Massachusetts Turnpike, Interstate 495, and Routes 20 and 146. Worcester County’s economic development consists of biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, information technology, health care and medical research.
The Worcester County Study location has a strong collaborative relationship with St. Vincent Hospital and other community hospitals in Worcester County. As the key collaborator in the National Children’s Study in Worcester County, the University of Massachusetts Medical School is the only teaching hospital in this county and features a collaborative Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Pediatrics. The University also has cultivated relationships with prenatal provider practices along with hospitals with labor, delivery, and pediatric capabilities in Worcester County.
Prenatal provider practices and labor and delivery hospitals provide an opportunity for local physicians and health care providers to show their support for the National Children’s Study by:
- Encouraging eligible women and their families to join the Study
- Educating prenatal practice staff about the Study and how to refer related patient questions to the local Study Center office
- Displaying Study information in health care provider offices and waiting areas
- Providing access to patient medical records for the Study, with the written permission of each Study participant
- Helping to spread the word in Worcester County about the National Children’s Study
The Worcester County Study location will provide prenatal practices with Study signage and display materials highlighting the Study’s commitment to children’s health. Partners also will receive newsletters to keep them current on the Study’s progress.
To learn more about how your practice can join us in this important work, please contact the NCS – Worcester County Study Center at 508-856-3699 or toll-free 855-NCS-4ALL or e-mail ncs@umassmed.edu.
Return to NCS – Worcester County Study Center Overview.
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