Social Determinants of Stress and its Effects on Maternal and Child Health

This qualitative research documents perceived stress and discrimination experienced by Latinas through the course of their lives as social determinants of birth outcomes. Recent studies have documented the relationship between maternal stress and premature delivery among African-American women. Puerto Rican women have the highest incidence of premature delivery compared to other Latino subgroups. To our knowledge, there are no published studies documenting the effect of stress on birth outcome among adult Puerto Rican women. A total of six focus groups are being conducted with the primary objectives of documenting community experiences and perspectives regarding: 1) stress, including stress caused by discrimination based on race (racism); 2) the impact of stress on Puerto Rican women of reproductive age, their families, and/ or the community; and 3) stressors that affect pregnancy outcomes. Focus groups are being conducted in English and Spanish in the two cities with the highest rates of premature birth and low infant birth weight in the state of Connecticut. Preliminary findings from the two focus groups conducted thus far (N=19) indicate that food insecurity, lack of access to quality education, and poverty are maternal and child health stressors. Funded by Connecticut NIH EXPORT Center of Excellence for Eliminating Health Disparities among Latinos (NIH-NCMHD Grant # P20MD0017650).