An Exploration of Socio-demographic, Economic, and Environmental Factors in Black/White Disparities in Low Birth Weight Outcomes: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Numerous studies have been conducted to seek a better understanding of disparitiesin adverse pregnancy outcomes. The present study aimed to explore racial differences in influentialsocio-demographic, economic, and environmental factors in women who have had a low birthweight (LBW) infant (outcome variable).Study Design: A cross-sectional study.Methods: This study used data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS).Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed.Results: The obtained results pointed to statistical racial differences between Non-Hispanic (NH)Black and NH White women in the socio-demographic variable of marital status (P<۰.۰۰۱).Regarding the assessed economic stability variables, employment status (P=۰.۰۳۲), poverty level(P<۰.۰۰۱), earnings (P=۰.۰۳۸), and federal government assistance paying for rent (P=۰.۰۰۷) werestatistically significant across the two racial groups. The environmental factors that werestatistically significant across racial groups were living in public housing projects (P=۰.۰۱۸), carownership (P<۰.۰۰۱), and neighborhood safety (P=۰.۰۱۰). The results of the multivariate modelsrevealed that NH Black race and government assistance to pay rent were associated with anincreased likelihood of LBW, while being married, having health care coverage, and living in publichousing were associated with a decreased likelihood.Conclusion: As evidenced by the obtained results, there were statistically significant racialdifferences in sociodemographic, economic, and environmental/physical characteristics associatedwith adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Keywords:

Healthcare disparities , Vulnerable populations , Pregnancy outcomes