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Racial Disparities and Comorbidities: Network Analysis of Maternal Outcomes in Alabama.
Yasin Fatemi1, Haneen Ali2,3,4, Jingyi Zheng5
1Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA.
Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
|April 29, 2025
Summary
Racial disparities in comorbidities significantly impact birth outcomes. Complex disease interactions are more prevalent in Black, Asian, and Native American groups, necessitating tailored maternal health interventions.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Network Analysis
Background:
- Utilized a large dataset of 443,902 mothers in Alabama (2014-2021).
- Employed network analysis to investigate race and comorbidity effects on birth outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess racial disparities in comorbidity patterns.
- To identify the impact of specific diseases on low birth weight (LBW) and normal birth weight (NBW) outcomes.
- To understand the differential effects of comorbidities across racial groups.
Main Methods:
- Constructed multimorbidity networks for White, Black, Asian, and American Indian/Alaska Native groups.
- Quantified disease associations using the Salton Cosine Index.
- Applied random forest and logistic regression for feature selection in LBW/NBW networks.
Main Results:
- Observed greater comorbidity network complexity in Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Asian groups compared to Whites.
- Identified hypertension and eclampsia as key LBW risk factors in White and Black groups.
- Found the LBW network to be denser than the NBW network, indicating complex comorbidity links to adverse outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Highlighted significant racial disparities in maternal health and birth outcomes.
- Emphasized the need for race-tailored healthcare interventions.
- Stressed the importance of addressing distinct health profiles to reduce maternal health disparities.
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