Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #117508

Panagiota Kitsantas, PhD¹, Robert Meyer, PhD², and Paul Buescher, PhD². (1) Mathematics/Statistics & Epidemiology, East Carolina University, Austin 124, Greenville, NC 27858, 919 469-1206, kitsantap@mail.ecu.edu, (2) State Center for Health Statistics, Division of Public Health, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, 222 N. Dawson Street, Raleigh, NC 27699

Although the infant mortality rate in the United States has been decreasing, the ethnic disparity between Black and White infants remains unchanged. The purpose of this study was to examine ethnic differences among Black and White births in the distribution of risk factors of infant mortality across specific causes of death. Data for this study included 807,708 singleton Black and White births which were obtained from the North Carolina linked birth/infant death files from 1989 to 1997. Four logistic regression models were constructed based on the cause of death; congenital anomalies, infections, SIDS, and deaths related to short gestation and low birth weight. These models revealed that among Black women, maternal age of Ан35 years old was significantly associated with a higher risk of mortality caused by congenital anomalies compared to a maternal age of 20 to 34 year sold. Both Black and White women with <12 years of education were approximately two to three times more likely to have an infant dying from SIDS compared to mothers with education >12 years. Smoking was a significant predictor only for SIDS related deaths for both ethnic groups. Prenatal care and medical complications were significantly associated with all four causes of death. This study provides evidence that maternal risk factors vary by infant cause of death and ethnicity. Ethnic-specific interventions may be necessary to reduce infant mortality rates and eliminate ethnic disparities in perinatal outcomes.

Learning Objectives:

• List ethnic differences in infant mortality.
• Identify ethnic disparities in the distribution of risk factors for specific causes of infant mortality.
• Develop ethnic-specific intervention that would reduce infant mortality rates and eliminate ethnic disparities in perinatal outcomes.

Keywords: Infant Mortality, Risk Factors

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.