Anna Nibley Baker, MPH¹, Wendy L. Hellerstedt, MPH, PhD¹, and Phyllis L. Pirie, PhD². (1) Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, 1300 S. 2nd Street, Ste. 300, Minneapolis, MN 55454, 612-378-4736, bake0404@umn.edu, (2) School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, 1300 S. 2nd St, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55454-1015

The purpose of this study was to explore birth outcomes among foreign- and native-born black women in the Minnesota seven-county metropolitan area by residential racial concentration. Data were drawn from 1990-99 Minnesota birth certificates and the 1990 U.S. Census.

Chi-square, t-test, and one-way ANOVA statistics were used to examine the association of risk markers and birth outcomes in foreign-born and native-born black women within different residential racial concentration levels. Multivariate logistic regression was used to control for confounders between birth outcomes and residential racial concentration.

Native-born black women experienced more risk markers and poorer birth outcomes than did foreign-born women. For example, 26.5% of native-born women were adolescents when they gave birth compared to 6.3 % of foreign-born women. About half as many foreign-born women bore low birth weight babies compared to native-born women.

Risk markers and poor birth outcomes were most prevalent in medium and high black-concentration areas versus low-concentration areas. For example, adolescents made up 21.4% of the mothers in low-concentration areas compared to 29.3% in high-concentration areas. The proportion of low birth weight infants and preterm births was positively associated with residential racial concentration.

Understanding health outcomes in diverse populations is vital to helping these populations optimize health. This study demonstrates the association between birth outcomes, maternal nativity, and residential racial concentration and highlights the need to identify reasons for these associations. Further study of birth outcome differentials by nativity in segregated areas may help identify opportunities for population-based public health interventions in these areas.

Learning Objectives:

During this session, participants will learn about the differential effects of individual factors (like substance use and maternal age) and environmental factors (like neighborhood concentration) on foreign- and native-born black women in the U.S. At the end of the session, participants should be able to (
• articulate the impact of neighborhood concentration on low birthweight, and (
• discuss the differential implications of segregation for foreign- and native-born black women.

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.