Hope Kelly reports on the health care workers and patients at the Codman Square Health Center. Kelly notes that the health care workers at the Codman Square Health Center are not surprised at the rise in the infant mortality rate in Boston. She adds that many of the patients at the Center are immigrants and have no health insurance. Kelly interviews Bill Walczak (Codman Square Health Center), Dr. Tony Schlaff (head of the Codman Square Health Center), Dr. Graunke (pediatrician, Codman Square Health Center) and Cynthia Smith (head nurse, Codman Square Health Center). The four health care workers describe the challenges faced by poor women and children. Walczak says that many of the patients are in a perpetual state of crisis due to housing and transportation problems. Schlaff talks about the need for health education and pre-natal care for at-risk populations. Graunke talks about high rate of malnutrition in Codman Square. Smith talks about the rising rate of teen pregnancies. Kelly's report includes footage of health care workers and several patients at the center. Kelly's report also features footage of Dr. Graunke examining patients. Kelly notes that workers at the Center often treat children who have never received medical attention. This tape includes footage of Dr. Kenneth Edelin (Boston City Hospital), Juanita Wade (Boston School Committee), Charles Yancey (Boston City Council) and others at a press conference on the infant mortality rate. It also includes shots of newspaper articles about the rising infant mortality rate.

Hope Kelly reports on an increase in the infant mortality rate since last year. Kelly reviews statistics on the infant mortality rate in Massachusetts and in Boston. Kelly notes that there is a wide discrepancy between the infant mortality rates in the white and African American communities. Kelly reports that two out of three infant deaths in Boston are African American infants. Kelly interviews David Mulligan (Commissioner of Public Health) and Howard Spivak (Deputy Commissioner of Public Health) about the rising infant mortality rate. Kelly reports that the state of Massachusetts has implemented prenatal care programs for all pregnant women. Kelly interviews Judith Kurland (Commissioner, Boston Health and Hospitals) about the prenatal care programs. Kurland says that the programs do not reach the women who are most in need of them. Kurland says that an increase in poverty has resulted in an increase of the infant mortality rates. Kelly reviews statistics concerning teenage pregnancy in the state. Kelly notes that teenage pregnancy is becoming increasingly common. Kelly's report is accompanied by footage of infants in a hospital nursery and footage of a doctor examining a baby.

Hope Kelly reports on an alarming increase in the infant mortality rate in Boston. Kelly reviews the statistics. She notes that the infant mortality rate among African Americans is 2.5 times the infant mortality rate among whites. Kelly adds that the increase in the infant mortality rate was most pronounced in the Roxbury neighborhood. Kelly interviews Dr. Bailus Walker (Commissioner of Public Health). Walker says that the increase in the infant mortality rate is the result of a cutback in social programs from 1982 to 1984. Kelly's report includes footage of Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston) talking about the effects of cutbacks in social programs. Kelly notes that the state has put $15 million toward reducing the infant mortality rate. Kelly's report includes footage of Marian Wright Edelman (Director, Children's Defense Fund) at a press conference. Edelman says that the US has one of the highest infant mortality rates of any industrialized nation. Kelly notes that Boston is the home to many of the nation's top hospitals. She adds that the infant mortality rate in the city is as high as in many third world nations. Kelly's report is accompanied by footage of women, children, and health care workers at a health clinic and by footage of residents of a public housing project. The video cuts to black for 45 seconds during this story, from 00:01:34 to 00:02:15. This tape includes additional footage of health care workers, women and children at the Codman Square Health Center.

This course focuses on the historical problems and interventions associated with infant mortality. Describes the scientific basis for infant mortality and analyzes causes and consequences in a population and development of a programmatic and policy approach.

David Boeri reports on Project Mattapan, which is a community-based pre-natal care program aimed at reducing the infant mortality rate in Boston. Boeri notes that the infant mortality rate is very high in the city of Boston. He adds that the infant mortality rate in the African American community is 2.5 times the rate in the white community. Boeri interviews June Cooper (Community Health Associate) and John Ramsey (Boston Foundation) about the program. Boeri reports that Project Mattapan is a year-long project funded by the Boston Foundation. Boeri notes that the program will provide outreach to poor and uneducated women in an effort to combat premature births and low-birth weights. Boeri's report is accompanied by footage of women and health care workers at a health-care center, by footage of infants at a hospital nursery, and by footage of children at an urban playground.

Carmen Fields reports that the infant mortality rate in Boston's African American community is three times the rate in white communities. Fields interviews Jeanne Taylor, PhD (Roxbury Comprehensive Health Center) and David Dolin (Executive Vice President, Beth Israel Hospital)) about the partnership between the two facilities and the rising infant mortality rate in Boston. Dolin says that the high infant mortality rate is a social problem involving health, education, housing, employment, and crime. He adds that advances must be made in all of those areas in order to combat the high infant mortality rate in Boston. Taylor talks about the role of community health centers and the benefits of relationships between community health centers and large hospitals. Taylor says that the infant mortality rate is only one indicator of distress in the African American community. Fields reports that the concept of linkage is being applied to health care through the partnerships between the large and small medical facilities. Fields's report includes footage of infants being cared for in the nursery of a health facility.