 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Arlene M. Keddie, PhD1, Dorothy Kim Waller, PhD1, Sally W Vernon, PhD2, and Benjamin C. Amick, PhD3. (1) School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, RAS 903 O, 1200 Herman Pressler Drive, Houston, TX 77030, (713)500-9483, Leulumoega@aol.com, (2) School of Public Health/Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, University of Texas - Houston, 7000 Fannin, Suite 2560, Houston, TX 77030, (3) School of Public Health, University of Texas-Houston Health Sciences Center, PO Box 20186, Houston, TX 77225
Background: Although genetic variants have historically been thought to be important factors in the etiology of birth defects, behavioral and social factors have also been discovered. Little is known about the etiology of heart defects, collectively the most prevalent of all birth defects.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if there are associations between low parental education and congenital heart defects within racial/ethnic groups.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 281,262 live born singletons, 1765 of whom were identified by the Texas Birth Defects Monitoring Division as having heart defects without known chromosomal anomalies. Infants born between January 1, 1995 and December 31, 1997, whose mothers resided in six Texas public health regions were included in the study. With the exception of case status, all variables were taken directly or derived from birth certificates.
Results: After controlling for birth weight for gestation, paternal and maternal age, parity, maternal diabetes, smoking and alcohol consumption and public health region, white parents with <12 years of education were 1.39 (95% CI: 1.02-1.91) times more likely than those with >=16 years to have an infant with a heart defect. Among Hispanics the odds were 1.64 (95% CI: 1.17-2.29) times higher. However, this association did not exist among blacks. The association was driven by ventricular septal defects for Hispanics, and by atrial septal defects for whites.
Conclusion: This study suggests that among whites and Hispanics, low parental education may be associated with an increased prevalence of septal defects.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Birth Defects, Social Class
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.