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Developmental well-being among low and normal birth weight U.S. Puerto Rican children

Bridget K Gorman1

  • 1Rice University, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, USA. bkgorman@rice.edu

Journal of Health and Social Behavior
|April 1, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Protective factors like social support and medical insurance benefit low birth weight Puerto Rican children. These factors emerge with risk, suggesting targeted child health programs improve development.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Low birth weight (LBW) is disproportionately high among Puerto Rican children in the U.S.
  • LBW infants face increased risks for developmental problems.
  • Poverty exacerbates health disparities in this population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify protective factors for child development in Puerto Rican children.
  • To examine differences in protective factors between normal birth weight (NBW) and low birth weight (LBW) groups.
  • To inform targeted interventions for at-risk children.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of data from the Puerto Rican Maternal and Infant Health Study.
  • Comparison of developmental outcomes in NBW (602) and LBW (554) children.
  • Identification of social, economic, and medical factors associated with positive development.

Main Results:

  • Maternal social support, medical insurance, and paternal employment significantly protected LBW children's development.
  • Few protective factors were identified for NBW children.
  • Protective influences were more pronounced in the presence of risk factors.

Conclusions:

  • Protective factors are crucial for the developmental well-being of LBW Puerto Rican children.
  • Targeted child health programs based on birth weight are effective and efficient.
  • Interventions should focus on social support, healthcare access, and parental employment.

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