 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Jaime Slaughter, MPH, Louisiana Office of Public Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 325 Loyola Ave, Rm 611, New Orleans, LA 70112, 504-568-2094, jcslaugh@dhh.state.la.us and Marianne E Zotti, DrPH, RN, Mississippi State Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Office of Personal Health Services, PO Box 1700, Jackson, MS 39215-1700.
Background: The Jackson Metropolitan Area’s (JMA) Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) 1997-1999 was 10.6/1,000 live births (U.S.=7.2). Since the IMR shows the existence of an infant mortality problem, a new methodology, Perinatal Periods of Risk (PPOR), was applied to provide greater insight and suggest interventions.
Methods: We used PPOR to examine the feto-infant mortality rates (FIMR) and assess the respective mortality contribution to Maternal Health/Prematurity, Maternal Care, Newborn Care, and Infant Heath. PPOR was applied to singleton fetal deaths (>24 weeks gestation) and live births (>500 grams) occurring from 1997-1999 in JMA. The overall, white, and black populations were compared to a low risk internal reference group (RG): Mississippi white women aged >20 years with >13 years of education.
Results: The FIMR for the RG was 7.5/1,000 live births and fetal deaths compared with JMA’s overall 13.2. Analysis by race showed disparity between races (white=7.7, black=17.6) with large gaps in Maternal health/Prematurity (black=7.9, RG=2.4), Maternal Care (black=4.1; RG=1.9) , and Infant Health (black=3.7, RG=1.6). Racial disparities did not exist in Newborn Care. Further analysis dividing the black population by education revealed that higher educated blacks did not have significant excess mortality in the Infant Health component.
Conclusions/Implications: JMA’s high FIMR results from racial disparities existing in maternal Health/Prematurity, Maternal Care, and Infant Health. Future intervention efforts should target black Maternal Health/Prematurity (preconceptional health), Maternal Care, and less educated black infant health (SIDS prevention activities, breastfeeding promotion, and injury prevention).
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Infant Mortality,
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.