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Late entry into prenatal care: the neighborhood context
1School of Social Welfare, University at Albany, NY 12222, USA. jp215@csc.albany.edu
Social Work
|March 16, 2000
Summary
Late entry into prenatal care affects 15% of New York City women. Living in distressed urban neighborhoods significantly increases this risk, highlighting the need for targeted outreach and policies.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Sociology
- Urban Studies
Background:
- Late initiation of prenatal care is a significant public health concern.
- Understanding contributing factors is crucial for effective intervention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate individual and neighborhood determinants of late entry into prenatal care.
- To assess the impact of distressed urban neighborhoods on prenatal care timing.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 220,694 New York City birth certificates linked with 1990 census data.
- Multivariate modeling to control for individual risk factors and neighborhood context.
Main Results:
- 15% of pregnant women in New York City initiated prenatal care late.
- Residence in a distressed urban neighborhood was a significant risk factor for late entry, independent of individual characteristics.
Conclusions:
- Neighborhood context plays a critical role in access to timely prenatal care.
- Targeted outreach, case management, and supportive social policies are essential for vulnerable populations.
- Universal healthcare access is vital for improving maternal and child health outcomes.