141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

282053
Role of parental nativity among black children in the United States

Monday, November 4, 2013

Guy-Lucien Whembolua, PhD , Africana Studies, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
Ndidi Amutah, PhD, MPH, CHES , Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences, Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ
Beatrice Abiero, BS , Health Policy and Administration and Demography, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Titilayo A. Okoror, PhD , Department of Africana Studies, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY
Rhonda Belue, PhD , Health Policy and Administration, Penn State University, University Park, PA
The disproportionately high rates of adverse health outcomes among Black children represent an important issue in the United States. Black children are more likely to die within the first year of life. Moreover, previous research has shown substantial racial and socioeconomic disparities in US breastfeeding rates. However, the role of immigrant status within the Black community in understanding such disparities has not been well studied. In this study we analyzed the extent to which parental nativity affect socioeconomic status and breastfeeding among Black children in the United States. The study utilized extant data from National Survey of Children's Health, 2007 (NSCH). A Chi-square analysis was employed to assess socio-economic status and breastfeeding measures among Black children aged 0 to 5 years (children of native parents and children of foreign-born parents). More than 82% of children with foreign-born parents were reported ever breastfeeding (p<.05) at 6 months, while 52% of children of native parents were reported to ever breastfed (p<.000). Among children of native parents, only 7 % were reported to be breastfed for 6 month (p<.000). Children of foreign- born parents were more likely to be classified as ‘Not poor'(64.7%) (p<.000) than children of native parents (49.4%) (p<.000). The results of this study highlight the importance of understanding the heterogeneity of Black children. Understanding how parental nativity (foreign-born versus native) affects socioeconomic status and health behaviors such as breastfeeding remains a topic for further research.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Diversity and culture
Public health or related public policy
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Analyzed the extent to which parental nativity affect socioeconomic status and breastfeeding among Black children in the United States.

Keywords: African American, Health Disparities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been a behavioral scientist on multiple studies focusing on African Americans and on African immigrants. One of my scientific interests is the role of social determinants of health among individuals from Africa and its diaspora
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.