Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 5, 2025
A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting
Published on: January 12, 2018
Household unmet basic needs in the first 1000 days and preterm birth status
Margaret G Parker1, Stephanie Ettinger de Cuba2, Lindsey J Rateau3
1Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. Margaret.parker@bmc.org.
Insights
Families with preterm infants experienced more unmet basic needs, including housing, energy, food, and healthcare hardships, compared to families with term infants. This highlights disparities in essential resource access for vulnerable populations.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Neonatal Research
- Socioeconomic Determinants of Health
Background:
- Unmet basic needs, encompassing housing, energy, food, and healthcare hardships, are critical social determinants of health.
- Preterm birth is associated with significant short- and long-term health challenges for infants.
- Understanding the intersection of socioeconomic factors and adverse birth outcomes is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between unmet basic needs and preterm birth status.
- To analyze the relationship of individual and composite unmet needs with varying degrees of prematurity.
- To identify specific hardships disproportionately affecting families of preterm infants.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional analysis of a large dataset (17,926 families) from 2011-2018.
- Categorization of preterm infants based on gestational age: <31 weeks, 31-33 weeks, and 34-36 weeks, compared to term infants (≥37 weeks).
- Multivariable multinomial logistic regression models were employed to assess the odds of unmet needs.
Main Results:
- Over 60% of families with preterm infants reported at least one unmet basic need, versus 56% for term infants (p=0.007).
- Infants born <31 weeks' gestation had higher odds of healthcare hardships (aOR 1.28).
- Infants born 34-36 weeks' gestation showed increased odds of experiencing one (aOR 1.19) or at least two unmet needs (aOR 1.15).
Conclusions:
- Unmet basic needs are significantly more prevalent in families with preterm infants compared to those with term infants.
- Specific hardships, such as healthcare access issues, are elevated in extremely preterm infants.
- These findings underscore the need for socioeconomic support systems for families of preterm infants.
Objective:
To examine the relationship of individual and composite number of unmet basic needs (housing, energy, food, and healthcare hardships) in the past year with preterm birth status among children aged 0-24 months.
Study Design:
We examined cross-sectional 2011-18 data of 17,926 families with children aged 0-24 months. We examined children born <31 weeks', 31-33 weeks', and 34-36 weeks' gestation versus term (≥37 weeks) using multivariable multinomial logistic regression.
Results:
At least 1 unmet basic need occurred among ≥60% of families with preterm children, compared to 56% of families with term children (p = 0.007). Compared to term, children born ≤30 weeks' had increased odds of healthcare hardships (aOR 1.28 [1.04, 1.56]) and children born 34-36 weeks' had increased odds of 1 (aOR 1.19 [1.05, 1.35]) and ≥2 unmet needs (aOR 1.15 [1.01, 1.31]).
Conclusion:
Unmet basic needs were more common among families with preterm, compared to term children.
Related Concept Videos
00:55Parental Care
01:07Teratogenicity
01:26Methods Of Healthcare Delivery System
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is...
01:30Primary Healthcare Services
In 1978, international leaders convened in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, for what would be a pivotal event in global health. The Alma-Ata Declaration was the first to call...
01:22Development of Immunocompetence
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
01:28Relationship with Parents: Attachment