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Relationship between the Great Recession and widening maternal and child health disparities: Findings from Washington and Florida
Methods: Using individual-level Washington (WA) and Florida (FL) birth certificate data, MCH outcome rates and disparities were analyzed. Attention was focused on whether disparities widened during two recession periods: Period #1 (December 2007-June 2009—official dates of Great Recession), and Period #2 (January 2010-December 2011), compared to a Baseline Period (January 2005- March 2007).
Results: Of 14 unique subpopulations and their 47 component groups (e.g., subpopulation ‘maternal ethnicity’ divided into five component groups such as non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black), disparities widened on at least one MCH outcome for 22 groups in WA during Period #1 and 37 groups during Period #2, compared to baseline. In FL, disparities widened for 25 groups during Period #1 and 31 during Period #2. Disparities increased in both periods on the same outcomes for 11 groups in WA and seven groups in FL. Disparity increases among individual-level component groups tended to cluster among those with young age, low education, and among members of minority race/ethnicity groups—particularly Black mothers (of both Hispanic and non-Hispanic ethnicity).
Conclusions: Findings support hypothesized connections between increased individual and community level need, the Great Recession, and MCH outcomes and disparities. Compared to baseline, there were more increases in Period #2 than #1. Additional research on predictors/contributors influencing changes in disparities are needed.
Learning Areas:
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programsPublic health or related nursing
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research
Learning Objectives:
Name three groups for whom MCH disparities increased during the Great Recession.
Describe areas that warrant further research into connections between the Great Recession and MCH outcomes/disparities.
Keyword(s): Health Disparities/Inequities, Maternal and Child Health
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I recently completed my PhD and carried out this research for my dissertation. During my PhD I completed extensive coursework in research methods and statistics as well as study of maternal child health epidemiology and approaches to data visualization. My dissertation research was funded by NIH-funded Multidisciplinary Predoctoral Clinical Research Training Program (TL1) Trainee and I was mentored by active practice-based public health services and systems researchers.
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.