Black/white differences in the relationship of maternal age to birthweight: A population-based test of the weathering hypothesis
Black/white differences in the relationship of maternal age to birthweight: A population-based test of the weathering hypothesis
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DOI：
10.1016/0277-9536(95)00159-x
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发表时间：
1996-02-01
影响因子：
5.4
通讯作者：
Geronimus, AT
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Geronimus, AT
本研究旨在探讨年轻成年非裔美国妇女的早期健康恶化（“风化”）是否有助于观察到的黑人/白色出生结果差异随产妇年龄的增加。从理论上讲，“风化”被认为是社会不平等的物理后果。因此，我们还研究了非洲裔美国人的母亲是否在他们的年龄轨迹不佳的出生结果与社会阶层。黑人或白色单胎第一胎密歇根州居民年龄在1989年（N = 54,888出生）进行了分析，使用的数据从关联的出生和婴儿死亡证明与人口普查为基础的经济信息增强。我们发现，在黑人中，而不是白人，提前产妇年龄超过15岁与LBW和VLBW的几率增加有关。在低收入地区的黑人中，母亲年龄在15岁至34岁之间，LBW的几率增加3倍，VLBW增加4倍。研究结果表明，非洲裔美国妇女，平均而言，特别是那些居住在低收入地区的妇女，在青少年和青年之间的健康状况恶化，导致她们的LBW或VLBW风险随着孕产妇年龄的增加而增加，并导致这种风险的黑白差距。研究结果表明，全面预防战略的重要性，以改善社会经济上处于不利地位的非裔美国妇女怀孕前的健康和减少影响健康的社会不平等。
This study seeks to explore if early health deterioration ('weathering') among young adult African American women contributes to observed increases with maternal age in the black/white disparity in birth outcome. Theoretically, 'weathering' is constructed as being a physical consequence of social inequality. Thus, we also examine whether African American mothers vary in their age trajectories of poor birth outcome with respect to social class. Black or white singleton first births to Michigan residents aged 15-34 in 1989 (N = 54,888 births) are analyzed, using data drawn from linked birth and infant death certificates augmented with census-based economic information. We find among blacks, but not whites, advancing maternal age above 15 years is associated with increased odds of LBW and VLBW. Among blacks in low-income areas, the odds of LBW increase 3-fold, and of VLBW 4-fold, between maternal ages 15 and 34. The findings suggest that African American women, on average, and those residing in low-income areas, in particular, experience worsening health profiles between their teens and young adulthood, contributing to their increasing risk of LBW or VLBW with advancing maternal age and to the black-white gap in this risk. The findings suggest the importance of comprehensive prevention strategies to improve the health of socioeconomically disadvantaged African American women prior to pregnancy and the reduction of social inequalities that impact health.