Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List


17381.pdf (1.07 MB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Racism and Infant Mortality: Links Between Racial Stress and Adverse Birth Outcomes for African American Women and their Infants

Novelli, Lauren
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1439305228

Abstract Details

2015, MPH, University of Cincinnati, Medicine: Health Services Management.
Background: There is a widening health gap in birth outcomes for Black women and white women in America. Historically this gap has been relegated to disparities regarding other social factors such as; socioeconomic status, geographic location, and education level. However, these factors prove to only be partially responsible for the gap in birth outcomes between Black women and white women. Improved understanding of the burden of racial stress that Black women undergo throughout their lifetimes provides a better foundation for improving health outcomes, specifically birth outcomes for Black women. Objectives: Secondary data analysis is utilized on National Vital Statistics System data from 2002-2012 to determine if there is a link between adverse birth outcomes and race, despite similar education levels and prenatal care visits between non-Hispanic Black women and non-Hispanic white women. Methods: Using retrospective birth data from the National Vital Statistics System from 2002-2012, five variables were analyzed. These variables; maternal education attainment, number of prenatal care visits, preterm birth, low birthweight, and very low birthweight showcase different birth factors. By using aggregate data for non-Hispanic Black women, and non-Hispanic white women for each factor in each year, the percentage was then calculated. Following the calculation of averages, the statistical t-test was run to determine the p-values for each factor to determine statistical significance. Additionally, the total number of births for non-Hispanic Black women and non-Hispanic white women was recorded to showcase the difference in total birth rates for the aforementioned races. Results: The data from 2002-2012 showed a significant widening in health outcomes for Black and white women. There was no statistical significant difference for educational attainment between the races with a p-value of: 0.08163186. A significance was found between the rates of prenatal care visits between the races with a p-value of: 0.00015265. Statistical significance was found between the rates of preterm birth and low birthweight, and very low birthweight between Black and white women with p-values of <.00001 for all three outcomes. Conclusions: Further analysis regarding the possible role of racism and adverse health outcomes needs to be implemented to better understand the widening health gap between Black and white Americans. The impact of adverse birth outcomes for Black women is significant, and should be addressed by future models of public health programming to improve infant mortality rates as well as health disparities that exist later in life for Black Americans.
Mary Beth Genter, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Giao Tran, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
48 p.
Public Health
Infant Mortality; Preterm birth; Low birthweight; Very low birthweight; Racism

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Novelli, L. (2015). Racism and Infant Mortality: Links Between Racial Stress and Adverse Birth Outcomes for African American Women and their Infants [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1439305228

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Novelli, Lauren. Racism and Infant Mortality: Links Between Racial Stress and Adverse Birth Outcomes for African American Women and their Infants. 2015. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1439305228.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Novelli, Lauren. "Racism and Infant Mortality: Links Between Racial Stress and Adverse Birth Outcomes for African American Women and their Infants." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1439305228

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1439305228
607
© 2015, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.