The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #65339

Consuelo Beck-Sague, MD¹, Kwame Asamoa, MD¹, Jeani Chang, MPH², Jenny Lay³, and Leo Morris⁴. (1) Division of Reproductive Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2900 Woodcock Blvd., Atlanta, GA 30341, 770-488-5216, cmb1@cdc.gov, (2) Division of Reproductive Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Koger/Columbia Building, 2900 Woodcock Blvd, Atlanta, GA 30341, (3) Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30333, (4) CDC, MSK-35, Atlanta, GA 30333

Rare, serious PR-infectious diseases and PR-death are sentinel events suggesting prevention failures. To assess PR-sentinel events' impact on Latinas' health, data from CDC's food-borne infections (FoodNet 1996-2000), rubella surveillance (1999), and vital statistics (VS) (2000) reports, and Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance system (PMSS) (1993-1999), were analyzed, using U.S. Census Current Population Survey (CPS) 2000 estimates by race/ethnicity. Food-borne listeriosis incidence among Latinas of childbearing age and their infants (1.1 and 12 per 100,000, respectively) was much higher than among non-Latinas (0.01 and 1, respectively). During 1991-1997, 81% of infants with congenital rubella syndrome were Latinos. The number of PR-deaths per 100,000 live births (VS) was over twice as high among blacks (22) than among Latinas (10), and whites (7). However, the number of PR-deaths (PMSS) per 100,000 women of reproductive age was much higher for Latina immigrants (14) than for US-born-Latinas (4) or -whites (5), and only 36% less than that of blacks (22). PR-deaths among Latina immigrants were more likely to be due to pregnancy-induced hypertension (29%), a frequently preventable cause, than among US-born Latinas (17%), -whites (16%) or -Blacks (11%, p<.01). In 2000, Latinas were more likely to be immigrants (47%) than non-Latinas (8%) (CPS); Latina immigrants had higher numbers of live births per 1,000 (112) than US-born Latinas (80), -Whites (60), or -Blacks (63). Expressing incidence of PR-sentinel events as rates per 100,000 live births, and failure to note birthplace of Latinas affected, may understate Latina immigrants' excess risk, which is associated with higher fertility and lower effectiveness of prenatal prevention strategies.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to:
• Identify PR-infectious diseases whose occurrence constitute sentinel events
• Recognize how use of various denominators for PR-sentinel events may obscure or highlight their impact
• Use census and vital statistics data to quantify the impact of PR-sentinel events on Latino populations
• Use PR-sentinel events to identify unmet needs in Latino populations

Keywords: Health Disparities, Hispanic

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: I am an employee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention