The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #51203

Deren E. Bader, Department of Maternal and Child Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 6125 Free Union Rd, Free Union, VA 22940, 434-975-2697, derenb@earthlink.net

Purpose: We examined temporal changes in birth weight-gestational age (BW-GA) specific infant mortality for African-American (A-A) and White race groups. We also calculate the number of annual excess A-A infant deaths. Methods: Live births to U.S. resident mothers with a reported maternal race of White or A-A were selected from the National Center for Health Statistics’ linked live birth-infant death cohort files (1985-1987 and 1995-1997). We compared racial differences in the distributions of live births and infant deaths. We calculated ratios of BW-GA specific IMRs between the race groups. Excess annual A-A infant deaths were calculated by comparing the observed distribution of infant deaths to a weighted distribution of deaths. The weighted distribution represents the expected number of deaths based on the proportion of all U.S. births among A-As (15.4%). Results: A-As have a higher proportion of low birth weight (LBW) and preterm infants. The percent of White LBW infants is rising, while the disparity in IMRs between Whites and A-As is increasing. Among preterm births, racial disparities in survival are decreasing. Whites experienced greater gains in survival for preterm and LBW infants and an increased advantage in mortality near term. A-As experience almost 2 times more then the expected number of infant deaths. Conclusions: Improved survival of White preterm, and LBW infants, and the growing survival gap between A-A and White in term births has contributed to the increasing racial disparity. Efforts will need to focus on explaining why A-As have higher rates of mortality among term and postterm infants.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the presentation, the participant should be aware of the current trends in racial disparities in infant mortality in the United States. Including, an understanding of the impact changes in race-specific birth weight-gestational age (BW-GA) specific infant mortality have had on these trends.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.