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A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting
14:43

A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting

Published on: January 12, 2018

Do biological, sociodemographic, and behavioral characteristics explain racial/ethnic disparities in preterm births?

P Johnelle Sparks1

  • 1University of Texas at San Antonio, Demography and Organization Studies, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA. johnelle.sparks@utsa.edu

Social Science & Medicine (1982)
|March 17, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Racial disparities in preterm births are minimal, with Native American infants showing a slight increase. Maternal health and prenatal care access are key factors in explaining these birth outcome differences.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal epidemiology
  • Sociomedical sciences
  • Public health

Background:

  • Racial and ethnic disparities are documented in various birth outcomes.
  • Few studies have comprehensively examined disparities in preterm births across diverse racial/ethnic groups using national data.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate racial/ethnic disparities in preterm births within a nationally representative US sample.
  • To identify underlying factors contributing to observed disparities in preterm birth rates.
  • To explore explanations for preterm birth disparities across seven maternal race/ethnicity categories.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the US Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Birth Cohort (ECLS-B).
  • Analyzed biological, sociodemographic, and behavioral characteristics by maternal race/ethnicity.
  • Employed multivariable logistic regression and race-stratified models to assess disparities and their explanations.

Main Results:

  • Significant differences in maternal and infant characteristics were observed across racial/ethnic groups, excluding infant gender.
  • After controlling for covariates, the only significant disparity in preterm birth was for Native American infants compared to non-Hispanic white infants.
  • Maternal health complications and prenatal care adequacy emerged as significant factors explaining residual disparities.

Conclusions:

  • Preterm birth disparities are not widespread across all racial/ethnic groups when accounting for various factors.
  • Targeted interventions focusing on maternal health and improving prenatal care access are crucial for reducing existing preterm birth disparities.
  • Ensuring equitable access to timely and adequate prenatal care can mitigate racial/ethnic disparities in preterm birth outcomes.

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