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Chan M, Parikh S, Willcocks E, Lytel-Sternberg J, Castro E, Tabb LP, Schwartz J, James-Todd T. Associations between Historical Redlining and the Risk of Pregnancy Complications and Adverse Birth Outcomes in Massachusetts, 1995-2015. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2024. [PMID: 38980750 DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2024.0031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective: To assess the impact of historical redlining on the risk of pregnancy complications and adverse birth outcomes in Massachusetts (MA) from 1995 to 2015. Methods: In total, 288,787 pregnant people from the MA Birth Registry had information on parental characteristics, pregnancy factors, and redlining data at parental residences at the time of delivery. Historic redlining data were based on MA Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC) security maps, with grades assigned (A "best," B "still desirable," C "definitely declining," and D "hazardous"). We used covariate-adjusted binomial regression models to examine associations between HOLC grade and each chronic condition and pregnancy/birth outcome. Results: Living in HOLC grades B through D compared with A was associated with an increased risk of entering pregnancy with chronic conditions and adverse pregnancy/birth outcomes. The strongest associations were seen with pregestational diabetes (adjusted risk ratio [RR] Grade D: 1.7, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3, 2.4) and chronic hypertension (adjusted RR Grade D: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1, 1.9). Conclusions: Historical redlining policies from the 1930s were associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and chronic conditions; associations were strongest for chronic conditions in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa Chan
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shivani Parikh
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Emma Willcocks
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jennie Lytel-Sternberg
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Edgar Castro
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Loni Philip Tabb
- Department of Biostatistics, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Joel Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tamarra James-Todd
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Loehrer AP, Weiss JE, Chatoorgoon KK, Bello OT, Diaz A, Carter B, Akré ER, Hasson RM, Carlos HA. Residential Redlining, Neighborhood Trajectory, and Equity of Breast and Colorectal Cancer Care. Ann Surg 2024; 279:1054-1061. [PMID: 37982529 PMCID: PMC11227658 DOI: 10.1097/sla.0000000000006156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the influence of structural racism, vis-à-vis neighborhood socioeconomic trajectory, on colorectal and breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. BACKGROUND Inequities in cancer care are well-documented in the United States but less is understood about how historical policies like residential redlining and evolving neighborhood characteristics influence current gaps in care. METHODS This retrospective cohort study included adult patients diagnosed with colorectal or breast cancer between 2010 and 2015 in 7 Indiana cities with available historic redlining data. Current neighborhood socioeconomic status was determined by the Area Deprivation Index. Based on historic redlining maps and the current Area Deprivation Index, we created 4 "neighborhood trajectory" categories: advantage stable, advantage reduced, disadvantage stable, and disadvantage reduced. Modified Poisson regression models estimated the relative risks (RRs) of neighborhood trajectory on cancer stage at diagnosis and receipt of cancer-directed surgery (CDS). RESULTS A final cohort derivation identified 4862 cancer patients with colorectal or breast cancer. Compared with "advantage stable" neighborhoods, "disadvantage stable" neighborhood was associated with a late-stage diagnosis for both colorectal and breast cancer [RR = 1.30 (95% CI: 1.05-1.59); RR = 1.41 (1.09-1.83), respectively]. Black patients had a lower likelihood of receiving CDS in "disadvantage reduced" neighborhoods [RR = 0.92 (0.86-0.99)] than White patients. CONCLUSIONS Disadvantage stable neighborhoods were associated with late-stage diagnoses of breast and colorectal cancer. "Disadvantage reduced" (gentrified) neighborhoods were associated with racial inequity in CDS. Improved neighborhood socioeconomic conditions may improve timely diagnosis but could contribute to racial inequities in surgical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P. Loehrer
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, United States of America
- Dartmouth Cancer Center, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Department of Surgery, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
- The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
| | - Julie E. Weiss
- Dartmouth Cancer Center, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
| | | | | | - Adrian Diaz
- The Ohio State University, Department of Surgery, Columbus, OH, United States of America
| | - Benjamin Carter
- The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
| | - Ellesse-Roselee Akré
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, United States of America
- The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
| | - Rian M. Hasson
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, United States of America
- Dartmouth Cancer Center, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Department of Surgery, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
- The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
| | - Heather A. Carlos
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, United States of America
- Dartmouth Cancer Center, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
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Richardson AS, Dubowitz T, Beyer KM, Zhou Y, Kershaw KN, Duck W, Ye F, Beckman R, Gordon-Larsen P, Shikany JM, Kiefe C. Associations of Historical Redlining With BMI and Waist Circumference in Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults. AJPM FOCUS 2024; 3:100209. [PMID: 38590394 PMCID: PMC10999814 DOI: 10.1016/j.focus.2024.100209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Historical maps of racialized evaluation of mortgage lending risk (i.e., redlined neighborhoods) have been linked to adverse health outcomes. Little research has examined whether living in historically redlined neighborhoods is associated with obesity, differentially by race or gender. Methods This is a cross-sectional study to examine whether living in historically redlined neighborhoods is associated with BMI and waist circumference among Black and White adults in 1985-1986. Participants' addresses were linked to the 1930s Home Owners' Loan Corporation maps that evaluated mortgage lending risk across neighborhoods. The authors used multilevel linear regression models clustered on Census tract, adjusted for confounders to estimate main effects, and stratified, and interaction models by (1) race, (2) gender, and (3) race by gender with redlining differentially for Black versus White adults and men versus women. To better understand strata differences, they compared Census tract-level median household income across race and gender groups within Home Owners' Loan Corporation grade. Results Black adults (n=2,103) were more likely than White adults (n=1,767) to live in historically rated hazardous areas and to have higher BMI and waist circumference. Redlining and race and redlining and gender interactions for BMI and waist circumference were statistically significant (p<0.10). However, in stratified analyses, the only statistically significant associations were among White participants. White participants living in historically rated hazardous areas had lower BMI (β = - 0.63 [95% CI= -1.11, -0.15]) and lower waist circumference (β = - 1.50 [95% CI= -2.62, -0.38]) than those living in declining areas. Within each Home Owners' Loan Corporation grade, residents in White participants' neighborhoods had higher incomes than those living in Black participants' neighborhoods (p<0.0001). The difference was largest within historically redlined areas. Covariate associations differed for men, women, Black, and White adults, explaining the difference between the interaction and the stratified models. Race by redlining interaction did not vary by gender. Conclusions White adults may have benefitted from historical redlining, which may have reinforced neighborhood processes that generated racial inequality in BMI and waist circumference 50 years later.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea S. Richardson
- RAND Corporation, Department of Behavioral and Policy Sciences, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Tamara Dubowitz
- RAND Corporation, Department of Behavioral and Policy Sciences, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | | | - Yuhong Zhou
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Kiarri N. Kershaw
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Waverly Duck
- University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California
| | - Feifei Ye
- RAND Corporation, Department of Behavioral and Policy Sciences, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Robin Beckman
- RAND Corporation, Department of Behavioral and Policy Sciences, Santa Monica, California
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Everett BG, Philbin MM, Homan P. Structural heteropatriarchy and maternal cardiovascular morbidities. Soc Sci Med 2024; 351 Suppl 1:116434. [PMID: 38825374 PMCID: PMC11149902 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
The United States has some of the poorest maternal health outcomes of any developed nation. Existing research on maternal cardiovascular morbidities has focused predominantly on individual- and clinic-level drivers, but we know little about community- and structural-level factors that shape these outcomes. We use a composite measure of "structural heteropatriarchy" which includes measures of structural sexism and structural LGB-stigma to examine the relationship between structural heteropatriarchy and three cardiovascular-related maternal morbidities using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (n = 3928). Results using multivariate regressions show that structural heteropatriarchy is associated with increased risk of reporting maternal morbidities. Our findings provide further evidence that sexuality- and gender-based stigma operate together to shape health disparities, including maternal health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Morgan M Philbin
- Division of Vulnerable Populations, Department of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, United States
| | - Patricia Homan
- Department of Sociology, Florida State University, United States
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Kabangu JLK, Dugan JE, Joseph B, Hernandez A, Newsome-Cuby T, Fowler D, Bah MG, Fry L, Eden SV. The impact of historical redlining on neurosurgeon distribution and reimbursement in modern neighborhoods. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1364323. [PMID: 38774047 PMCID: PMC11106381 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1364323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Background This study examines the lasting impact of historical redlining on contemporary neurosurgical care access, highlighting the need for equitable healthcare in historically marginalized communities. Objective To investigate how redlining affects neurosurgeon distribution and reimbursement in U.S. neighborhoods, analyzing implications for healthcare access. Methods An observational study was conducted using data from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) National File, Home Owner's Loan Corporation (HOLC) neighborhood grades, and demographic data to evaluate neurosurgical representation across 91 U.S. cities, categorized by HOLC Grades (A, B, C, D) and gentrification status. Results Of the 257 neighborhoods, Grade A, B, C, and D neighborhoods comprised 5.40%, 18.80%, 45.8%, and 30.0% of the sample, respectively. Grade A, B, and C neighborhoods had more White and Asian residents and less Black residents compared to Grade D neighborhoods (p < 0.001). HOLC Grade A (OR = 4.37, 95%CI: 2.08, 9.16, p < 0.001), B (OR = 1.99, 95%CI: 1.18, 3.38, p = 0.011), and C (OR = 2.37, 95%CI: 1.57, 3.59, p < 0.001) neighborhoods were associated with a higher representation of neurosurgeons compared to Grade D neighborhoods. Reimbursement disparities were also apparent: neurosurgeons practicing in HOLC Grade D neighborhoods received significantly lower reimbursements than those in Grade A neighborhoods ($109,163.77 vs. $142,999.88, p < 0.001), Grade B neighborhoods ($109,163.77 vs. $131,459.02, p < 0.001), and Grade C neighborhoods ($109,163.77 vs. $129,070.733, p < 0.001). Conclusion Historical redlining continues to shape access to highly specialized healthcare such as neurosurgery. Efforts to address these disparities must consider historical context and strive to achieve more equitable access to specialized care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Luc K. Kabangu
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - John E. Dugan
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Benson Joseph
- Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Amanda Hernandez
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Takara Newsome-Cuby
- Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kansas City, MO, United States
| | - Danny Fowler
- New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR, United States
| | - Momodou G. Bah
- Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Lane Fry
- University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Sonia V. Eden
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
- Semmes-Murphey Neurologic and Spine Institute, Memphis, TN, United States
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Hasjim BJ, Huang AA, Paukner M, Polineni P, Harris A, Mohammadi M, Kershaw KN, Banea T, VanWagner LB, Zhao L, Mehrotra S, Ladner DP. Where you live matters: Area deprivation predicts poor survival and liver transplant waitlisting. Am J Transplant 2024; 24:803-817. [PMID: 38346498 PMCID: PMC11070293 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajt.2024.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Social determinants of health (SDOH) are important predictors of poor clinical outcomes in chronic diseases, but their associations among the general cirrhosis population and liver transplantation (LT) are limited. We conducted a retrospective, multiinstitutional analysis of adult (≥18-years-old) patients with cirrhosis in metropolitan Chicago to determine the associations of poor neighborhood-level SDOH on decompensation complications, mortality, and LT waitlisting. Area deprivation index and covariates extracted from the American Census Survey were aspects of SDOH that were investigated. Among 15 101 patients with cirrhosis, the mean age was 57.2 years; 6414 (42.5%) were women, 6589 (43.6%) were non-Hispanic White, 3652 (24.2%) were non-Hispanic Black, and 2662 (17.6%) were Hispanic. Each quintile increase in area deprivation was associated with poor outcomes in decompensation (sHR [subdistribution hazard ratio] 1.07; 95% CI 1.05-1.10; P < .001), waitlisting (sHR 0.72; 95% CI 0.67-0.76; P < .001), and all-cause mortality (sHR 1.09; 95% CI 1.06-1.12; P < .001). Domains of SDOH associated with a lower likelihood of waitlisting and survival included low income, low education, poor household conditions, and social support (P < .001). Overall, patients with cirrhosis residing in poor neighborhood-level SDOH had higher decompensation, and mortality, and were less likely to be waitlisted for LT. Further exploration of structural barriers toward LT or optimizing health outcomes is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bima J Hasjim
- Northwestern University Transplant Outcomes Research Collaborative (NUTORC), Comprehensive Transplant Center (CTC), Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Alexander A Huang
- Northwestern University Transplant Outcomes Research Collaborative (NUTORC), Comprehensive Transplant Center (CTC), Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Mitchell Paukner
- Northwestern University Transplant Outcomes Research Collaborative (NUTORC), Comprehensive Transplant Center (CTC), Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Division of Biostatistics, Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Praneet Polineni
- Northwestern University Transplant Outcomes Research Collaborative (NUTORC), Comprehensive Transplant Center (CTC), Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Alexandra Harris
- Northwestern University Transplant Outcomes Research Collaborative (NUTORC), Comprehensive Transplant Center (CTC), Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Institute for Public Health and Medicine (IPHAM), Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Mohsen Mohammadi
- Northwestern University Transplant Outcomes Research Collaborative (NUTORC), Comprehensive Transplant Center (CTC), Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Kiarri N Kershaw
- Northwestern University Transplant Outcomes Research Collaborative (NUTORC), Comprehensive Transplant Center (CTC), Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Division of Epidemiology, Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Therese Banea
- Northwestern University Transplant Outcomes Research Collaborative (NUTORC), Comprehensive Transplant Center (CTC), Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Lisa B VanWagner
- Northwestern University Transplant Outcomes Research Collaborative (NUTORC), Comprehensive Transplant Center (CTC), Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Lihui Zhao
- Northwestern University Transplant Outcomes Research Collaborative (NUTORC), Comprehensive Transplant Center (CTC), Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Division of Biostatistics, Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Sanjay Mehrotra
- Northwestern University Transplant Outcomes Research Collaborative (NUTORC), Comprehensive Transplant Center (CTC), Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Daniela P Ladner
- Northwestern University Transplant Outcomes Research Collaborative (NUTORC), Comprehensive Transplant Center (CTC), Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Division of Organ Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
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Dholakia A, Burdick KJ, Kreatsoulas C, Monuteaux MC, Tsai J, Subramanian SV, Fleegler EW. Historical Redlining and Present-Day Nonsuicide Firearm Fatalities. Ann Intern Med 2024; 177:592-597. [PMID: 38648643 DOI: 10.7326/m23-2496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Redlining began in the 1930s with the Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC); this discriminatory practice limited mortgage availability and reinforced concentrated poverty that still exists today. It is important to understand the potential health implications of this federally sanctioned segregation. OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between historical redlining policies and present-day nonsuicide firearm fatalities. DESIGN Maps from the HOLC were overlaid with incidence of nonsuicide firearm fatalities from 2014 to 2022. A multilevel negative binomial regression model tested the association between modern-day firearm fatalities and HOLC historical grading (A ["best"] to D ["hazardous"]), controlling for year, HOLC area-level demographics, and state-level factors as fixed effects and a random intercept for city. Incidence rates (IRs) per 100 000 persons, incidence rate ratios (IRRs), and adjusted IRRs (aIRRs) for each HOLC grade were estimated using A-rated areas as the reference. SETTING 202 cities with areas graded by the HOLC in the 1930s. PARTICIPANTS Population of the 8597 areas assessed by the HOLC. MEASUREMENTS Nonsuicide firearm fatalities. RESULTS From 2014 to 2022, a total of 41 428 nonsuicide firearm fatalities occurred in HOLC-graded areas. The firearm fatality rate increased as the HOLC grade progressed from A to D. In A-graded areas, the IR was 3.78 (95% CI, 3.52 to 4.05) per 100 000 persons per year. In B-graded areas, the IR, IRR, and aIRR relative to A areas were 7.43 (CI, 7.24 to 7.62) per 100 000 persons per year, 2.12 (CI, 1.94 to 2.32), and 1.42 (CI, 1.30 to 1.54), respectively. In C-graded areas, these values were 11.24 (CI, 11.08 to 11.40) per 100 000 persons per year, 3.78 (CI, 3.47 to 4.12), and 1.90 (CI, 1.75 to 2.07), respectively. In D-graded areas, these values were 16.26 (CI, 16.01 to 16.52) per 100 000 persons per year, 5.51 (CI, 5.05 to 6.02), and 2.07 (CI, 1.90 to 2.25), respectively. LIMITATION The Gun Violence Archive relies on media coverage and police reports. CONCLUSION Discriminatory redlining policies from 80 years ago are associated with nonsuicide firearm fatalities today. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE Fred Lovejoy Housestaff Research and Education Fund.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha Dholakia
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, and Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts (A.D., K.J.B.)
| | - Kendall J Burdick
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, and Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts (A.D., K.J.B.)
| | | | - Michael C Monuteaux
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (M.C.M.)
| | - Jennifer Tsai
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, and St. Joseph's Medical Center in Stockton, Stockton, California (J.T.)
| | - S V Subramanian
- Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (S.V.S.)
| | - Eric W Fleegler
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Departments of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (E.W.F.)
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Kraus NT, Connor S, Shoda K, Moore SE, Irani E. Historic redlining and health outcomes: A systematic review. Public Health Nurs 2024; 41:287-296. [PMID: 38148621 DOI: 10.1111/phn.13276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this systematic review was to synthesize the existing literature on the associations between historic redlining and modern-day health outcomes across the lifespan. METHOD This review searched PubMed and CINAHL for peer-reviewed, data-based articles examining the relationship between historic redlining and any health outcome. Articles were appraised using the JBI critical appraisal checklist. The results were synthesized using a narrative summary approach. RESULTS Thirty-six articles were included and focused on various health outcomes, including cardiovascular outcomes, breast cancer incidence and mortality, firearm injury or death, birth-related outcomes, and asthma outcomes. Most of the included articles (n = 31; 86%) found significant associations between historic redlining and adverse health outcomes such as increased cardiovascular disease, higher rates of preterm births, increased cancer incidence, reduced survival time after breast cancer diagnosis, and increased firearm injury incidence. DISCUSSION This review demonstrates the persistent effect of historic redlining on individuals' health. Public health nurses should recognize redlining as a form of structural racism when caring for affected communities and should advocate for policies and programs that advance health equity. Nurse researchers should develop and test multilevel interventions to address systemic racism and improve health outcomes in communities affected by redlining.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noa T Kraus
- Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Sarah Connor
- Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Krista Shoda
- Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Scott Emory Moore
- Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Elliane Irani
- Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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MCCONNELL MARGARET, AGARWAL SUMIT, HANSON ERIKA, MCCRADY ERIN, PARKER MARGARETG, BONA KIRA. Prescription for Cash? Cash Support to Low-Income Families in Maternal and Pediatric Health Care Settings. Milbank Q 2024; 102:64-82. [PMID: 37994263 PMCID: PMC10938935 DOI: 10.1111/1468-0009.12679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Policy Points Pregnancy and childhood are periods of heightened economic vulnerability, but current policies for addressing health-related social needs, including screening and referral programs, may be insufficient because of persistent gaps, incomplete follow-up, administrative burden, and limited take-up. To bridge gaps in the social safety net, direct provision of cash transfers to low-income families experiencing health challenges during pregnancy, infancy, and early childhood could provide families with the flexibility and support to enable caregiving, increase access to health care, and improve health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - ERIKA HANSON
- Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation, Harvard Law School
| | - ERIN MCCRADY
- Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation, Harvard Law School
| | - MARGARET G. PARKER
- Child Health Equity CenterUniversity of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
| | - KIRA BONA
- Harvard Medical School
- Dana‐Farber Cancer Institute
- Boston Children's Hospital
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Major-Kincade TL. Obstetric Racism, Education, and Racial Concordance. MCN Am J Matern Child Nurs 2024; 49:74-80. [PMID: 38108513 DOI: 10.1097/nmc.0000000000000982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT The United States holds the distinction of being the developed country with the worst perinatal outcomes despite spending the most per capita on health care. Black women are three to four times more likely than White women to experience adverse birth outcomes. These outcomes persist despite access to prenatal care, insurance, and college education. A long overdue racial reckoning has arrived, beginning with acknowledging the fallacy of race-based medicine and the role of enduring systemic racism as foundational to obstetric racism in the reproductive lives of Black women. Centering voices of Black women and honoring their lived experiences are essential to providing respectful maternity care. Naming micro- and macroaggressions experienced by Black women allows for dismantling of systemic barriers which perpetuate inequitable outcomes and enable substandard care. Racial concordance (shared racial identity) is one tool to consider in creating safe health care spaces for Black women. Improving diversity of the nursing workforce specifically, and the health care workforce in general, is necessary to affect racial concordance. Application of skills in cultural humility can mitigate challenges associated with adverse patient encounters for Black women as diversity pipeline strategies are explored. Histories of foundational fallacy, their impact on care and outcomes, and patient-driven indicators for improving pregnancy care experiences for women of color are explored through the lens of a Black physician and the collective reproductive health workforce.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terri L Major-Kincade
- Terri L. Major-Kincade is an Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Director, Pediatric Palliative Care Service Memorial Hermann Children's Hospital, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX. Dr. Major-Kincade can be reached at
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Riley T, Schleimer JP, Jahn JL. Organized abandonment under racial capitalism: Measuring accountable actors of structural racism for public health research and action. Soc Sci Med 2024; 343:116576. [PMID: 38237286 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the shifting nature of structural racism historically and across institutions is vital for effective action towards racial health equity. While public health research on structural racism is rapidly increasing, most studies are missing the interdependence of policies and institutional practices over time that shape power imbalances and lead to entrenched health inequities. Here, we discuss Ruth Wilson Gilmore's concept of organized abandonment - the intentional disinvestment in communities which, in turn, creates opportunities for extraction, revenue generation, and carceral enforcement to fill the cracks of a compromised social infrastructure - to encourage action-oriented public health research that is grounded in history and an understanding of racial capitalism. We present a case example using publicly-available data on redlining, gentrification and policing in Seattle, Washington. We mapped the intersections of redlining and gentrification and estimated their neighborhood-level association with police activity using Bayesian spatial Poisson regression models. We found that histories of racist housing policies like redlining and processes of gentrification are interdependent and shape contemporary neighborhood racial and economic segregation and police activity. Compared to structurally advantaged neighborhoods, police stops were higher in neighborhoods that were 1) historically disinvested (i.e. redlined) and remain low-income and structurally disadvantaged and 2) formerly industrial and business districts that were not redlined and are now gentrified. Notably, we found that policing practices were significantly more intensive in neighborhoods that were both high redlined and gentrified. Together, these findings illustrate how the place-based racialized processes of dispossession, displacement and policing are deeply intertwined to maintain racial capitalism. Our findings also highlight the importance of examining multiple racialized processes simultaneously to fill critical gaps in the existing literature that are necessary for sustainable solutions to address structural racism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Riley
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Julia P Schleimer
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jaquelyn L Jahn
- Ubuntu Center on Racism, Global Movements, and Population Health Equity, Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Azad A, Su J, Nguyen M, Ly M, Wu I, Tracy D, Song A, Apollonio DE. Pharmacist furnishing of hormonal contraception in California's Central Valley. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) 2024; 64:226-234.e2. [PMID: 37595885 DOI: 10.1016/j.japh.2023.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the United States, more than 19 million people of reproductive age need access to publicly funded hormonal contraception or live in areas where it is not readily available. These include rural areas of the country, commonly known as contraception deserts. Pharmacist prescribing has been proposed to increase access, but little is known about its implementation in such areas. OBJECTIVE This study quantified the extent of pharmacists' furnishing (prescribing) of hormonal contraception in California's Central Valley community pharmacies and identified barriers and facilitators to implementation. METHODS The researchers conducted a cross-sectional, mixed methods, observational study by (1) contacting all community pharmacies in the 11 counties of the Central Valley to determine furnishing rates and (2) surveying and interviewing pharmacies that indicated they furnished hormonal contraception. RESULTS Overall, 13% of pharmacies within the Central Valley reported that they furnished hormonal contraception. Pharmacists reported that barriers to furnishing included costs to patients and the pharmacy, lack of time and staff, lack of training and certifications, limited patient awareness of pharmacists' ability to furnish, pharmacists' limited confidence in furnishing, and patient use of emergency contraception as an alternative to hormonal contraception. Pharmacists reported that patients often sought hormonal contraception from pharmacists owing to ease of accessibility to a pharmacist; some other facilitators included advertising, confidentiality, low cost to patients, and referrals from other providers. CONCLUSIONS Common barriers were identified across pharmacies that furnished hormonal contraception, indicating the need for strategies that reduce these barriers to help expand patient's access to these services and to increase pharmacists' ability and confidence to prescribe.
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McKenzie-Sampson S, Baer RJ, Jelliffe-Pawlowski LL, Karasek D, Riddell CA, Torres JM, Blebu BE. Structural racism, nativity and risk of adverse perinatal outcomes among Black women. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2024; 38:89-97. [PMID: 38116814 DOI: 10.1111/ppe.13032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Black women in the United States (US) have the highest risk of preterm birth (PTB) and small for gestational age (SGA) births, compared to women of other racial groups. Among Black women, there are disparities by nativity whereby foreign-born women have a lower risk of PTB and SGA compared to US-born women. Differential exposure to racism may confer nativity-based differences in adverse perinatal outcomes between US- and foreign-born Black women. This remains unexplored among US- and African-born women in California. OBJECTIVES Evaluate the relationship between structural racism, nativity, PTB and SGA among US- and African-born Black women in California. METHODS We conducted a population-based study of singleton births to US- and African-born Black women in California from 2011 to 2017 (n = 131,424). We examined the risk of PTB and SGA by nativity and neighbourhoods with differing levels of structural racism, as measured by the Index of Concentration at the Extremes. We fit crude and age-adjusted Poisson regression models, estimated using generalized estimating equations, with risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) as the effect measure. RESULTS The proportions of PTB and SGA were 9.7% and 14.5%, respectively, for US-born women, while 5.6% and 8.3% for African-born women. US-born women (n = 24,782; 20.8%) were more likely to live in neighbourhoods with high structural racism compared to African-born women (n = 1474; 11.6%). Structural racism was associated with an elevated risk of PTB (RR 1.19, 95% CI 1.12, 1.26) and SGA (RR 1.19, 95% CI 1.13, 1.25) for all Black women, however, there was heterogeneity by nativity, with US-born women experiencing a higher magnitude of effect than African-born women. CONCLUSIONS Among Black women in California, exposure to structural racism and the impacts of structural racism on the risk of PTB and SGA varied by nativity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Safyer McKenzie-Sampson
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA
- UCSF California Preterm Birth Initiative, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Rebecca J Baer
- UCSF California Preterm Birth Initiative, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Laura L Jelliffe-Pawlowski
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA
- UCSF California Preterm Birth Initiative, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Deborah Karasek
- UCSF California Preterm Birth Initiative, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA
- School of Public Health, Oregon Health & Science University and Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Corinne A Riddell
- Divisions of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Jacqueline M Torres
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA
- UCSF California Preterm Birth Initiative, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Bridgette E Blebu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor UCLA Medical Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Maliniak ML, Moubadder L, Nash R, Lash TL, Kramer MR, McCullough LE. Census Tracts Are Not Neighborhoods: Addressing Spatial Misalignment in Studies Examining the Impact of Historical Redlining on Present-day Health Outcomes. Epidemiology 2023; 34:817-826. [PMID: 37732846 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research examining the effects of historical redlining on present-day health outcomes is often complicated by the misalignment of contemporary census boundaries with the neighborhood boundaries drawn by the US Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC) in the 1930s. Previous studies have used different approaches to assign historical HOLC grades to contemporary geographies, but how well they capture redlining exposure is unknown. METHODS Our analysis included 7711 residences identified in the Multiple Listing Service database in Atlanta, Georgia (2017-2022). We evaluated the classification of HOLC grade assignment (A, B, C, D, or ungraded) when assigning exposure under four area-level approaches (centroid, majority land area, weighted score, and highest HOLC) compared with using complete address data (gold standard). We additionally compared approaches across three 2020 census geographies (tract, block group, and block). RESULTS When comparing the use of census tracts to complete address data, sensitivity was highest for the weighted score approach, which correctly identified 77% of residences in truly A-D graded neighborhoods as compared with the majority land area (44%), centroid (54%), and highest HOLC (59%) approaches. Regarding specificity, the majority land area approach best-classified residences in truly ungraded neighborhoods (93%) as compared with the weighted score (65%), centroid (81%), and highest HOLC (54%) approaches. Classification improved regardless of approach when using census block compared with the census tract. CONCLUSIONS Misclassification of historical redlining exposure is inevitable when using contemporary census geographies rather than complete address data. This study provides a framework for assessing spatial misalignment and selecting an approach for classification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maret L Maliniak
- From the Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
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Gordon M, Casey JA, McBrien H, Gemmill A, Hernández D, Catalano R, Chakrabarti S, Bruckner T. Disparities in preterm birth following the July 1995 Chicago heat wave. Ann Epidemiol 2023; 87:S1047-2797(23)00166-7. [PMID: 37678645 PMCID: PMC10842513 DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2023.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate if changes in preterm birth (PTB, <37 weeks of gestation) incidence differed between non-Hispanic (NH) Black and NH white births following the July 1995 Chicago heat wave-among the most severe U.S. heat waves since 1950. METHODS We used an ecologic study design. We obtained birth data from January 1990-December 1996 from the National Vital Statistics File to calculate the mean monthly PTB incidence in Chicago's Cook County, Illinois. Births between July 1995 and February 1996 were potentially exposed to the heat wave in utero. We generated time series models for NH Black and NH white births, which incorporated synthetic controls of Cook County based on unexposed counties. We ran a secondary analysis considering socioeconomic status (SES). RESULTS From 1990-1996, the mean monthly PTB incidence among NH Black births was 18.6% compared to 7.8% among NH white births. The mean monthly PTB incidence among NH Black births from August 1995-January 1996 was 16.7% higher than expected (three additional PTBs per 100 live births per month [95% confidence interval (CI): 1, 5]). A similar increase occurred among low-SES NH Black births. No increase appeared among NH white births. CONCLUSIONS Severe heat waves may increase racial disparities in PTB incidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milo Gordon
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY
| | - Joan A Casey
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY; Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Heather McBrien
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY
| | - Alison Gemmill
- Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Diana Hernández
- Sociomedical Sciences Department, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY
| | - Ralph Catalano
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley
| | | | - Tim Bruckner
- Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine.
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Singh N, Shuman S, Chiofalo J, Cabrera M, Smith A. Missed opportunities in aspirin prescribing for preeclampsia prevention. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2023; 23:717. [PMID: 37805449 PMCID: PMC10559409 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-023-06039-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, including preeclampsia, are a leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality in the United States, particularly among low-income and historically marginalized populations. Evidence suggests low-dose aspirin prophylaxis may help prevent preeclampsia in individuals at increased risk of developing the disease. This study examines associations between preeclampsia risk factors and aspirin prescribing practices among patients receiving prenatal care at a network of federally qualified health centers (FQHC). METHODS Researchers conducted retrospective chart reviews (n = 523) of pregnant individuals ages 18-50 who completed two or more prenatal visits at the FQHC between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2020. Prescription patterns for patients at moderate and high risk for preeclampsia were analyzed using unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models to identify the patients with the greatest risk of not receiving the recommended prophylactic treatment. RESULTS Of 249 total patients considered at risk for preeclampsia, only 39% received an aspirin prescription. 57.89% of patients with any high-risk factor were appropriately prescribed aspirin, but only 27.27% of patients with two or more moderate-risk factors without high-risk factors received a prescription. Clinicians most frequently prescribed aspirin for patients with a history of preeclampsia and history of hypertension. However, aspirin was prescribed a maximum of 78.79% of the time for patients with a prior history of hypertension. Among moderate-risk factors, patients with advanced maternal age, Black race, or nulliparity were significantly more likely in adjusted models to be prescribed aspirin. CONCLUSIONS Despite the documented benefits of aspirin prescribing and support from professional societies, there are still many missed opportunities for aspirin prophylaxis to prevent preeclampsia. Future interventions should focus on identifying patients who qualify for aspirin prophylaxis on the basis of having multiple moderate-risk factors without comorbid high-risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noreen Singh
- The Institute for Family Health, 230 W 17th St, New York, NY, 10011, USA.
- Mount Sinai Family Medicine Residency Program, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Saskia Shuman
- The Institute for Family Health, 230 W 17th St, New York, NY, 10011, USA
| | | | - Mariela Cabrera
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Aimee Smith
- The Institute for Family Health, Kingston, NY, USA
- Mid-Hudson Family Medicine Residency Program, Kingston, NY, USA
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Nelin TD, Scott KA, Just AC, Burris HH. Place-Based Strategies Addressing Neighborhood Environments to Improve Perinatal and Preterm Infant Outcomes. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:1646. [PMID: 37892309 PMCID: PMC10605196 DOI: 10.3390/children10101646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Preterm birth (defined as birth <37 weeks of gestation) is a significant health concern globally, with lasting implications for individuals, families, and society. In the United States, high preterm birth rates among Black and low-income populations likely result from differences in environmental exposures. Structural racism and economic disadvantage have led to unequal distribution of polluting industrial sites and roadways across society as well as differential access to health-promoting resources which contribute to preterm birth risk. Once born, preterm infants remain at risk for numerous environmentally responsive adverse health outcomes that affect growth and development throughout childhood and adulthood. In this commentary, we describe associations of neighborhood environments with pregnancy and preterm infant health outcomes and propose strategies to address harmful exposures that affect families across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy D. Nelin
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; (K.A.S.); (H.H.B.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kristan A. Scott
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; (K.A.S.); (H.H.B.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Allan C. Just
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA;
| | - Heather H. Burris
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; (K.A.S.); (H.H.B.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Key KD, Carrera J, McMaughan DJ, Lapeyrouse L, Hawa R, Carter A, Bailey S, de Danzine V, Blanchard C, Hall J, Shariff N, Hailemariam M, Johnson J. Advancing Equity Through Centering Societal Values to Operationalize Racism as a Public Health Crisis: The KKey Values Inequities Model. Health Equity 2023; 7:477-486. [PMID: 37731777 PMCID: PMC10507931 DOI: 10.1089/heq.2023.0113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The past two decades have been marked by increased efforts to advance equity in various disciplines, including social sciences, public health, environmental health, and medicine. In 2020, a national movement of municipalities declared racism a public health crisis. These efforts have coincided and likely shaped a growing sphere of federal and philanthropic funding for health equity, which frequently calls for practical interventions toward reducing and ultimately eliminating disparities. Disparities in health such as maternal mortality, infant mortality, diabetes, cancer, and stroke have been linked to root causes such as racism. Often, root causes are also linked to disparities in other sectors (i.e., finance/wealth attainment, educational attainment, career attainment, and home ownership). In 2021, in a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggested that racist policies were root causes of U.S. racial health inequities. While racism, sexism, and classism, etc., are characterized as root causes, we posit that there is a deeper driver that has yet to be advanced. This presents a disparity-inequity model that maps disparities and inequities to the societal value system, not root causes. Methods The KKey Values Inequities Disparities Model described in this article combines a case study of the Flint Water Crisis to explore the historic impact of human devaluation and its role in systemic racism and classism, which ultimately creates and exacerbates inequities that produce disparities in communities. The model integrates the value system and its contribution to societal causes (formerly known as root causes). Conclusions A broadly defined values-inequities-disparities model will allow researchers, practitioners, decision makers, lawmakers, and community members to (1) assess the core root of inequities and disparities; (2) identify solutions in the human value domain; (3) design appropriate course corrective programming, interventions, processes, and procedures; and (4) create actions to integrate new systemic procedures and practices in our laws and governance to advance equity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kent D. Key
- Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health, Michigan State University, Flint, Michigan, USA
| | - Jennifer Carrera
- Department of Sociology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Darcy Jones McMaughan
- College of Education and Human Sciences School of Community Health Sciences, Department of Counseling and Counseling Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Lisa Lapeyrouse
- Department of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Flint, Michigan, USA
| | - Roula Hawa
- School of Behavioural and Social Sciences, Brescia University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Courtney Blanchard
- Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health, Michigan State University, Flint, Michigan, USA
| | | | | | - Maji Hailemariam
- Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health, Michigan State University, Flint, Michigan, USA
| | - Jennifer Johnson
- Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health, Michigan State University, Flint, Michigan, USA
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Parry S, Jeffcoat M, Reddy MS, Doyle MJ, Grender JM, Gerlach RW, Tanna N, Geisinger ML, Geurs NC, Biggio J. Evaluation of an advanced oral hygiene regimen on maternity outcomes in a randomized multicenter clinical trial (Oral Hygiene and Maternity Outcomes Multicenter Study). Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM 2023; 5:100995. [PMID: 37127210 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajogmf.2023.100995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND During pregnancy, dental plaque-induced gingivitis prevalence and subsequent risk of periodontal disease increases substantially, as a consequence of both inadequate oral hygiene and changes in sex steroid hormone levels. Although maternal periodontal disease has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including spontaneous preterm birth, previous clinical trials involving mechanical debridement (eg, scaling and root planing) to remove plaque biofilm have not yielded decreased rates of preterm birth. OBJECTIVE We hypothesized that an advanced oral hygiene program, including an antibacterial regimen coupled with a power toothbrush and hygiene instruction, may improve the periodontal milieu and reduce the rate of spontaneous preterm birth. Therefore, we conducted a clinical trial of obstetrical patients with moderate-to-severe gingivitis who were randomized to an advanced oral hygiene program vs usual oral hygiene care, and the primary obstetrical outcome compared between the treatment groups was gestational age at delivery. STUDY DESIGN Obstetrical patients with singleton pregnancies between 8 and 24 weeks' gestation were screened by trained dentists at 2 clinical sites for moderate-to-severe gingivitis (>30 intraoral sites with gingival bleeding on probing). Eligible participants were randomized to an advanced oral hygiene regimen, including antibacterial mouth wash, dental floss, antibacterial toothpaste, a power toothbrush, and intensive oral hygiene education vs standard oral home care instructions and regimen. The primary obstetrical outcome assessed was gestational age at delivery. The overall primary (dental) outcomes were gingival index, bleeding sites, and pocket depth (reported elsewhere). Secondary obstetrical outcomes included birthweight and incidence of preterm birth at <37 weeks' gestation. Regression models were utilized and included factors such as treatment group, gestational age at enrollment, preterm birth history, and potential markers of health disparities (ie, education, employment status). RESULTS A total of 817 obstetrical patients underwent dental screening at the 2 sites, 789 were identified with moderate-to-severe gingivitis, 746 were randomized, and birth outcomes were available for 613 of the study participants. The gestational age at delivery was 2 days earlier in the control group (P=.040), but the clinical significance of this finding was limited (39.13 vs 38.85 weeks). Overall rates of spontaneous preterm birth <37 weeks and <34 weeks were not statistically different between the 2 treatment groups (7.0% advanced oral hygiene regimen vs 10.3% controls, OR=1.63 (0.90-3.00), P=.11; and 2.3% vs 3.9%, OR=1.88 (0.71-4.98), P=.20, respectively). However, we observed lower rates of spontaneous preterm birth among unemployed participants with less favorable socioeconomic status (4.7% advanced oral hygiene regimen vs 16.0% controls, OR=4.04 (1.34-15.12), P=.01). CONCLUSION An advanced oral hygiene program may reduce the risk of spontaneous preterm birth among pregnant patients with moderate-to-severe gingivitis and health disparities. This is the same group that may be at highest risk of poor dental hygiene and preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Parry
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (Dr Parry).
| | - Marjorie Jeffcoat
- School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (Drs Jeffcoat and Tanna)
| | - Michael S Reddy
- School of Dentistry, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL (Drs Reddy, Geisinger, and Geurs); University of California San Francisco School of Dentistry, San Francisco, CA (Dr Reddy)
| | - Matthew J Doyle
- The Procter and Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH (Drs Doyle, Grender, and Gerlach)
| | - Julie M Grender
- The Procter and Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH (Drs Doyle, Grender, and Gerlach)
| | - Robert W Gerlach
- The Procter and Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH (Drs Doyle, Grender, and Gerlach)
| | - Nipul Tanna
- School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (Drs Jeffcoat and Tanna)
| | - Maria L Geisinger
- School of Dentistry, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL (Drs Reddy, Geisinger, and Geurs)
| | - Nicolaas C Geurs
- School of Dentistry, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL (Drs Reddy, Geisinger, and Geurs)
| | - Joseph Biggio
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL (Dr Biggio); Women's Services, Ochsner Health, New Orleans, LA (Dr Biggio)
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20
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Gao X, Snowden JM, Tucker CM, Allen A, Morello-Frosch R, Abrams B, Carmichael SL, Mujahid MS. Remapping racial and ethnic inequities in severe maternal morbidity: The legacy of redlining in California. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2023; 37:379-389. [PMID: 36420897 PMCID: PMC10373920 DOI: 10.1111/ppe.12935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Historical mortgage redlining, a racially discriminatory policy designed to uphold structural racism, may have played a role in producing the persistently elevated rate of severe maternal morbidity (SMM) among racialised birthing people. OBJECTIVE This study examined associations between Home-Owner Loan Corporation (HOLC) redlining grades and SMM in a racially and ethnically diverse birth cohort in California. METHODS We leveraged a population-based cohort of all live hospital births at ≥20 weeks of gestation between 1997 and 2017 in California. SMM was defined as having one of 21 procedures and diagnoses, per an index developed by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We characterised census tract-level redlining using HOLC's security maps for eight California cities. We assessed bivariate associations between HOLC grades and participant characteristics. Race and ethnicity-stratified mixed effects logistic regression models assessed the risk of SMM associated with HOLC grades within non-Hispanic Black, Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaskan Native and Hispanic groups, adjusting for sociodemographic information, pregnancy-related factors, co-morbidities and neighbourhood deprivation index. RESULTS The study sample included 2,020,194 births, with 24,579 cases of SMM (1.2%). Living in a census tract that was graded as "Hazardous," compared to census tracts graded "Best" and "Still Desirable," was associated with 1.15 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03, 1.29) and 1.17 (95% CI 1.09, 1.25) times the risk of SMM among Black and Hispanic birthing people, respectively, independent of sociodemographic factors. These associations persisted after adjusting for pregnancy-related factors and neighbourhood deprivation index. CONCLUSIONS Historical redlining, a tool of structural racism that influenced the trajectory of neighbourhood social and material conditions, is associated with increased risk of experiencing SMM among Black and Hispanic birthing people in California. These findings demonstrate that addressing the enduring impact of macro-level and systemic mechanisms that uphold structural racism is a vital step in achieving racial and ethnic equity in birthing people's health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Gao
- Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, California, Berkeley, USA
| | - Jonathan M. Snowden
- Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Oregon Health & Science University-Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Curisa M. Tucker
- Division of Neonatal & Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Amani Allen
- Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, California, Berkeley, USA
- Division of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Rachel Morello-Frosch
- Division of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Barbara Abrams
- Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, California, Berkeley, USA
- Division of Maternal Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
- Division of Public Health Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Suzan L. Carmichael
- Division of Neonatal & Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Mahasin S. Mujahid
- Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, California, Berkeley, USA
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21
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Pineda R, Kati Knudsen, Breault CC, Rogers EE, Mack WJ, Fernandez-Fernandez A. NICUs in the US: levels of acuity, number of beds, and relationships to population factors. J Perinatol 2023; 43:796-805. [PMID: 37208426 PMCID: PMC10197033 DOI: 10.1038/s41372-023-01693-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To 1) define the number and characteristics of NICUs in the United States (US) and 2) identify hospital and population characteristics related to US NICUs. STUDY DESIGN Cohort study of US NICUs. RESULTS There were 1424 NICUs identified in the US. Higher number of NICU beds was positively associated with higher NICU level (p < 0.0001). Higher acuity level and number of NICU beds related to being in a children's hospital (p < 0.0001;p < 0.0001), part of an academic center (p = 0.006;p = 0.001), and in a state with Certificate of Need legislation (p = 0.023;p = 0.046). Higher acuity level related to higher population density (p < 0.0001), and higher number of beds related to increasing proportions of minorities in the population up until 50% minorities. There was also significant variation in NICU level by region. CONCLUSIONS This study contributes new knowledge by describing an updated registry of NICUs in the US in 2021 that can be used for comparisons and benchmarking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Pineda
- Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Keck School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Gehr Family Center for Health Systems Science and Innovation, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Program in Occupational Therapy, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Kati Knudsen
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Courtney C Breault
- California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative (CPQCC), Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth E Rogers
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Wendy J Mack
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Alicia Fernandez-Fernandez
- Physical Therapy Department, Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, South Miami Hospital, Miami, FL, USA
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22
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Egede LE, Walker RJ, Campbell JA, Linde S, Hawks LC, Burgess KM. Modern Day Consequences of Historic Redlining: Finding a Path Forward. J Gen Intern Med 2023; 38:1534-1537. [PMID: 36746831 PMCID: PMC9901820 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-023-08051-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
There is emerging evidence that structural racism is a major contributor to poor health outcomes for ethnic minorities. Structural racism captures upstream historic racist events (such as slavery, black code, and Jim Crow laws) and more recent state-sanctioned racist laws in the form of redlining. Redlining refers to the practice of systematically denying various services (e.g., credit access) to residents of specific neighborhoods, often based on race/ethnicity and primarily within urban communities. Historical redlining is linked to increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, and early mortality due to heart disease with evidence suggesting it impacts health through suppressing economic opportunity and human capital, or the knowledge, skills, and value one contributes to society. Addressing structural racism has been a rallying call for change in recent years-drawing attention to the racialized impact of historical policies in the USA. Unfortunately, the enormous scope of work has also left people feeling incapable of effecting the very change they seek. This paper highlights a path forward by briefly discussing the origins of historical redlining, highlighting the modern-day consequences both on health and at the societal level, and suggest promising initiatives to address the impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonard E Egede
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
- Center for Advancing Population Science, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
| | - Rebekah J Walker
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Center for Advancing Population Science, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Jennifer A Campbell
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Center for Advancing Population Science, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Sebastian Linde
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Center for Advancing Population Science, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Laura C Hawks
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Center for Advancing Population Science, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Kaylin M Burgess
- Center for Advancing Population Science, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
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23
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Atkin K, Bernhardt JM, Olayinka O, Simmonds K. Screening for Heat Related Illness in Pregnant People: Sample Case Study for Clinician Education. J Midwifery Womens Health 2023; 68:364-370. [PMID: 37025066 DOI: 10.1111/jmwh.13489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Climate change has significant implications for pregnant people. The Heat-Related Illness Screening Tool was developed by faculty in the nurse-led Center for Climate Change, Climate Justice, and Health at the MGH Institute of Health Professions. In an effort to integrate content on the health effects of climate change on pregnant people, faculty in the Women's Health/Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner program in the School of Nursing developed a case study that incorporated heat and environmental exposures in pregnancy into an existing module on preterm birth. The case study aims to increase awareness about the intersections between climate change, social determinants of health, structural racism, and potential adverse pregnancy outcomes. Together this case study and screening tool for heat-related illness represent innovations for health professions educators and clinicians to detect intensifying risks to already vulnerable people who are pregnant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Atkin
- MGH Institute of Health Professions School of Nursing, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jean M Bernhardt
- MGH Institute of Health Professions School of Nursing, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Katherine Simmonds
- Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Roux Institute at Northeastern University, Portland, Maine
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24
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Cross RI, Huỳnh J, Bradford NJ, Francis B. Racialized Housing Discrimination and Population Health: a Scoping Review and Research Agenda. J Urban Health 2023; 100:355-388. [PMID: 37058240 PMCID: PMC10103672 DOI: 10.1007/s11524-023-00725-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Racial residential segregation is considered a fundamental cause of racial health disparities, with housing discrimination as a critical driver of residential segregation. Despite this link, racial discrimination in housing is far less studied than segregation in the population health literature. As a result, we know little about how discrimination in housing is linked to health beyond its connection to segregation. Furthermore, we need to understand how health impacts differ across different types of housing discrimination. This review aims to assess the state of the population health literature on the conceptualization, measurement, and health implications of housing discrimination. We used PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews and presented the data on 32 articles that met our inclusion criteria published before January 1, 2022. Nearly half of the articles do not define housing discrimination explicitly. Additionally, there is considerable variation in how housing discrimination is operationalized across studies. Compared to studies using administrative data for housing discrimination exposures, studies using survey data were more likely to report a detrimental association with health outcomes. Synthesizing and comparing the results of these studies helps bridge methodological approaches to this research. Our review helps inform the debate on how racism impacts population health. Given the changing nature of racial discrimination over time and place, we discuss how population health researchers can approach studying various forms of housing discrimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah Israel Cross
- Department of Health Behavior, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Center for the Study of Racism, Social Justice, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, & Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - James Huỳnh
- Center for the Study of Racism, Social Justice, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, & Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Community Health Sciences, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Natalie J Bradford
- Center for the Study of Racism, Social Justice, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, & Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Public Health, College for Health, Community and Policy, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Brittney Francis
- Center for the Study of Racism, Social Justice, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, & Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- FXB Center for Health and Human Rights, Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Cambridge, MA, USA
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25
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Junior JA, Lee LK, Fleegler EW, Monuteaux MC, Niescierenko ML, Stewart AM. Association of State-Level Tax Policy and Infant Mortality in the United States, 1996-2019. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e239646. [PMID: 37093600 PMCID: PMC10126872 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.9646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Infant mortality in the United States is highest among peer nations; it is also inequitable, with the highest rates among Black infants. The association between tax policy and infant mortality is not well understood. Objective To examine the association between state-level tax policy and state-level infant mortality in the US. Design, Setting, and Participants This state-level, population-based cross-sectional study investigated the association between tax policy and infant mortality in the US from 1996 through 2019. All US infant births and deaths were included, with data obtained from the National Center for Health Statistics. Data were analyzed from November 28, 2021, to July 9, 2022. Exposures State-level tax policy was operationalized as tax revenue per capita and tax progressivity. The Suits index was used to measure tax progressivity, with higher progressivity indicating increased tax rates for wealthier individuals. Main Outcomes and Measures The association between tax policy and infant mortality rates was analyzed using a multivariable, negative binomial, generalized estimating equations model. Since 6 years of tax progressivity data were available (1995, 2002, 2009, 2012, 2014, and 2018), 300 state-years were included. Adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRRs) were calculated controlling for year, state-level demographic variables, federal transfer revenue, and other revenue. Secondary analyses were conducted for racial and ethnic subgroups. Results There were 148 336 infant deaths in the US from 1996 through 2019, including 27 861 Hispanic infants, 1882 non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native infants, 5792 non-Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islander infants, 41 560 non-Hispanic Black infants, and 68 666 non-Hispanic White infants. The overall infant mortality rate was 6.29 deaths per 1000 live births. Each $1000 increase in tax revenue per capita was associated with a 2.6% decrease in the infant mortality rate (aIRR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.95-0.99). An increase of 0.10 in the Suits index (ie, increased tax progressivity) was associated with a 4.6% decrease in the infant mortality rate (aIRR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.91-0.99). Increased tax progressivity was associated with decreased non-Hispanic White infant mortality (aIRR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.91-0.99), and increased tax revenue was associated with increased non-Hispanic Black infant mortality (aIRR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.08). Conclusions and Relevance In this cross-sectional study, an increase in tax revenue and the Suits index of tax progressivity were both associated with decreased infant mortality. These associations varied by race and ethnicity. Tax policy is an important, modifiable social determinant of health that may influence state-level infant mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean A Junior
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lois K Lee
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Eric W Fleegler
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Michael C Monuteaux
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Michelle L Niescierenko
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Amanda M Stewart
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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26
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Marinescu PS, Olson-Chen C, Glantz JC, Hill E, Hollenbach SJ. The Geographical Correlation Between Historical Preterm Birth Disparities and COVID-19 Burden. Reprod Sci 2023; 30:1343-1349. [PMID: 36114330 PMCID: PMC9483302 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-022-01076-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Similar to obstetric outcomes, rates of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection are not homogeneously distributed among populations; risk factors accumulate in discrete locations. This study aimed to investigate the geographical correlation between pre-COVID-19 regional preterm birth (PTB) disparities and subsequent COVID-19 disease burden. We performed a retrospective, ecological cohort study of an upstate New York birth certificate database from 2004 to 2018, merged with publicly available community resource data. COVID-19 rates from 2020 were used to allocate ZIP codes to "low-," "moderate-," and "high-prevalence" groups, defined by median COVID-19 diagnosis rates. COVID-19 cohorts were associated with poverty and educational attainment data from the US Census Bureau. The dataset was analyzed for the primary outcome of PTB using ANOVA. GIS mapping visualized PTB rates and COVID-19 disease rates by ZIP code. Within 38 ZIP codes, 123,909 births were included. The median COVID-19 infection rate was 616.5 (per 100 K). PTB (all) and COVID-19 were positively correlated, with high- prevalence COVID-19 ZIP codes also being the areas with the highest prevalence of PTB (F = 11.06, P = .0002); significance was also reached for PTB < 28 weeks (F = 15.87, P < .0001) and periviable birth (F = 16.28, P < .0001). Odds of PTB < 28 weeks were significantly higher in the "high-prevalence" COVID-19 cohort compared to the "low-prevalence" COVID 19 cohort (OR 3.27 (95% CI 2.42-4.42)). COVID-19 prevalence was directly associated with number of individuals below poverty level and indirectly associated with median household income and educational attainment. GIS mapping demonstrated ZIP code clustering in the urban center with the highest rates of PTB < 28 weeks overlapping with high COVID-19 disease burden. Historical disparities in social determinants of health, exemplified by PTB outcomes, map community distribution of COVID-19 disease burden. These data should inspire socioeconomic policies supporting economic vibrancy to promote optimal health outcomes across all communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ponnila S Marinescu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Ave, Box 668, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA.
| | - Courtney Olson-Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Ave, Box 668, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - J Christopher Glantz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Ave, Box 668, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Elaine Hill
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Ave, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Stefanie J Hollenbach
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Ave, Box 668, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
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27
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Salazar EG, Paul K, Murosko D, Nguemeni Tiako MJ, Burris HH. Preterm birth in historically redlined neighborhoods-spatial analysis with individual and community level factors. J Perinatol 2023; 43:411-413. [PMID: 36097286 PMCID: PMC11227900 DOI: 10.1038/s41372-022-01509-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth G Salazar
- Division of Neonatology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Kathryn Paul
- Division of Neonatology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Daria Murosko
- Division of Neonatology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Heather H Burris
- Division of Neonatology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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28
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Mehra R, Alspaugh A, Joseph J, Golden B, Lanshaw N, McLemore MR, Franck LS. Racism is a motivator and a barrier for people of color aspiring to become midwives in the United States. Health Serv Res 2023; 58:40-50. [PMID: 35841130 PMCID: PMC9836944 DOI: 10.1111/1475-6773.14037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To understand motivators and barriers of aspiring midwives of color. DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SETTING Primary data were collected via a national online survey among people of color in the United States interested in pursuing midwifery education and careers between February 22 and May 2, 2021. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional survey consisted of 76 questions (75 closed-ended and 1 open-ended questions) including personal, familial, community, and societal motivators and barriers to pursuing midwifery. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS We recruited respondents 18 years and older who identified as persons of color by posting the survey link on midwifery, childbirth, and reproductive justice listservs, social media platforms, and through emails to relevant midwifery and doula networks. We conducted descriptive and bivariate analyses by demographic characteristics and used exemplar quotes from the open-ended question to illustrate findings from the descriptive data. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS The strongest motivating factors for the 799 respondents were providing racially concordant care for community members (87.7 percent), reducing racial disparities in health (67.2 percent), and personal experiences related to midwifery care (55.4 percent) and health care more broadly (54.6 percent). Main barriers to entering midwifery were direct (58.2 percent) and related (27.5 to 52.8 percent) costs of midwifery education, and lack of racial concordance in midwifery education and the midwifery profession (31.5 percent) that may contribute to racially motivated exclusion of people of color. Financial and educational barriers were strongest among those with lower levels of income or education. CONCLUSIONS Structural and interpersonal racisms are both motivators and barriers for aspiring midwives of color. Expanding and diversifying the perinatal workforce by addressing the financial and educational barriers of aspiring midwives of color, such as providing funding and culturally-competent midwifery education, creating a robust pipeline, and opening more midwifery schools, is a matter of urgency to address the maternal health crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee Mehra
- Department of Family Health Care NursingSchool of Nursing, University of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Amy Alspaugh
- Department of Family Health Care NursingSchool of Nursing, University of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA,College of NursingUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTennesseeUSA
| | | | - Bethany Golden
- Department of Family Health Care NursingSchool of Nursing, University of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Nikki Lanshaw
- Department of Family Health Care NursingSchool of Nursing, University of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Monica R. McLemore
- Department of Family Health Care NursingSchool of Nursing, University of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Linda S. Franck
- Department of Family Health Care NursingSchool of Nursing, University of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
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29
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Gonzalez DJX, Nardone A, Nguyen AV, Morello-Frosch R, Casey JA. Historic redlining and the siting of oil and gas wells in the United States. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2023; 33:76-83. [PMID: 35418707 PMCID: PMC9556657 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-022-00434-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The presence of active or inactive (i.e., postproduction) oil and gas wells in neighborhoods may contribute to ongoing pollution. Racially discriminatory neighborhood security maps developed by the Home-Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC) in the 1930s may contribute to environmental exposure disparities. OBJECTIVE To determine whether receiving worse HOLC grades was associated with exposure to more oil and gas wells. METHODS We assessed exposure to oil and gas wells among HOLC-graded neighborhoods in 33 cities from 13 states where urban oil and gas wells were drilled and operated. Among the 17 cities for which 1940 census data were available, we used propensity score restriction and matching to compare well exposure neighborhoods that were similar on observed 1940 sociodemographic characteristics but that received different grades. RESULTS Across all included cities, redlined D-graded neighborhoods had 12.2 ± 27.2 wells km-2, nearly twice the density in neighborhoods graded A (6.8 ± 8.9 wells km-2). In propensity score restricted and matched analyses, redlined neighborhoods had 2.0 (1.3, 2.7) more wells than comparable neighborhoods with a better grade. SIGNIFICANCE Our study adds to the evidence that structural racism in federal policy is associated with the disproportionate siting of oil and gas wells in marginalized neighborhoods.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J X Gonzalez
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Anthony Nardone
- University of California (UC) Berkeley-UC San Francisco (UCSF) Joint Medical Program, UC Berkeley School of Public Health and UCSF School of Medicine, Berkeley and San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Andrew V Nguyen
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Rachel Morello-Frosch
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Joan A Casey
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
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30
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Balascio P, Moore M, Gongalla M, Regan A, Ha S, Taylor BD, Hill AV. Measures of Racism and Discrimination in Preterm Birth Studies. Obstet Gynecol 2023; 141:69-83. [PMID: 36701611 PMCID: PMC9886318 DOI: 10.1097/aog.0000000000005023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Preterm birth (any birth at less than 37 weeks of gestation) disproportionally affects Black birthing people and is associated with adverse perinatal and fetal health outcomes. Racism increases the risk of preterm birth, but standardized measurement metrics are elusive. This narrative synthesis examines literature on measures of racial discrimination used in preterm birth research. DATA SOURCES Six databases (CINAHL, Cochrane, EMBASE, PubMed [MEDLINE], Scopus, Web of Science) and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched. Search terms were categorized into three groups (racism terms, measurement terms, preterm birth terms) to identify original research articles that explored associations between racism and preterm birth. English-language, original research articles with U.S. populations were included. METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION Studies were excluded if conducted in only White populations, if only paternal factors were included, or if only racial differences in preterm birth were described. Articles were independently reviewed by two blinded researchers for inclusion at every stage of screening and data extraction; a third reviewer resolved discrepancies. TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS Sixty studies were included in the final analysis. Articles primarily included measures examining interpersonal forms of racism (n=17) through the Experiences of Discrimination and Everyday Discrimination scales, neighborhood composition (n=22) with the Neighborhood Deprivation Index and the Index of Concentration at the Extremes, policy-level racism (n=12) through institutions such as residential racial segregation or policy inequities, or multiple forms (n=9). CONCLUSION Among studies, assessment methods and application of constructs varied. This heterogeneity poses significant challenges to understanding associations between racial discrimination and preterm birth and to describing potential etiologic pathways of preterm birth, which ultimately hinders development of effective intervention. Strategies to capture multilevel exposures to racism require the development and expansion of metrics that are culturally inclusive, empirically valid, and reliable among Black pregnant populations. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION PROSPERO, CRD42022327484.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phoebe Balascio
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, and the Department of Sociology, College of Liberal Arts, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; the Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas; and the School of Nursing and Health Professions, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, and the Department of Public Health, Health Science Research Institute, University of California, Merced, Merced, California
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31
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Structural racism is associated with adverse postnatal outcomes among Black preterm infants. Pediatr Res 2022:10.1038/s41390-022-02445-6. [PMID: 36577795 PMCID: PMC9795138 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-022-02445-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Structural racism contributes to racial disparities in adverse perinatal outcomes. We sought to determine if structural racism is associated with adverse outcomes among Black preterm infants postnatally. METHODS Observational cohort study of 13,321 Black birthing people who delivered preterm (gestational age 22-36 weeks) in California in 2011-2017 using a statewide birth cohort database and the American Community Survey. Racial and income segregation was quantified by the Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE) scores. Multivariable generalized estimating equations regression models were fit to test the association between ICE scores and adverse postnatal outcomes: frequent acute care visits, readmissions, and pre- and post-discharge death, adjusting for infant and birthing person characteristics and social factors. RESULTS Black birthing people who delivered preterm in the least privileged ICE tertiles were more likely to have infants who experienced frequent acute care visits (crude risk ratio [cRR] 1.3 95% CI 1.2-1.4), readmissions (cRR 1.1 95% CI 1.0-1.2), and post-discharge death (cRR 1.9 95% CI 1.2-3.1) in their first year compared to those in the privileged tertile. Results did not differ significantly after adjusting for infant or birthing person characteristics. CONCLUSION Structural racism contributes to adverse outcomes for Black preterm infants after hospital discharge. IMPACT STATEMENT Structural racism, measured by racial and income segregation, was associated with adverse postnatal outcomes among Black preterm infants including frequent acute care visits, rehospitalizations, and death after hospital discharge. This study extends our understanding of the impact of structural racism on the health of Black preterm infants beyond the perinatal period and provides reinforcement to the concept of structural racism contributing to racial disparities in poor postnatal outcomes for preterm infants. Identifying structural racism as a primary cause of racial disparities in the postnatal period is necessary to prioritize and implement appropriate structural interventions to improve outcomes.
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The Relationship of Historical Redlining with Present-Day Neighborhood Environmental and Health Outcomes: A Scoping Review and Conceptual Model. J Urban Health 2022; 99:959-983. [PMID: 35915192 PMCID: PMC9342590 DOI: 10.1007/s11524-022-00665-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Following the Great Depression and related home foreclosures, the federal government established new agencies to facilitate access to affordable home mortgages, including the Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC) and Federal Housing Administration (FHA). HOLC and FHA directed widespread neighborhood appraisals to determine investment risk, referred to as "redlining," which took into account residents' race. Redlining thereby contributed to segregation, disinvestment, and racial inequities in opportunities for homeownership and wealth accumulation. Recent research examines associations between historical redlining and subsequent environmental determinants of health and health-related outcomes. In this scoping review, we assess the extent of the current body of evidence, the range of outcomes studied, and key study characteristics, examining the direction and strength of the relationship between redlining, neighborhood environments, and health as well as different methodological approaches. Overall, studies nearly universally report evidence of an association between redlining and health-relevant outcomes, although heterogeneity in study design precludes direct comparison of results. We critically consider evidence regarding HOLC's causality and offer a conceptual framework for the relationship between redlining and present-day health. Finally, we point to key directions for future research to improve and broaden understanding of redlining's enduring impact and translate findings into public health and planning practice.
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Historic racism in Kansas City affects Today's pediatric asthma burden. Health Place 2022; 78:102927. [DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2022.102927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Hailu EM, Maddali SR, Snowden JM, Carmichael SL, Mujahid MS. Structural racism and adverse maternal health outcomes: A systematic review. Health Place 2022; 78:102923. [PMID: 36401939 PMCID: PMC11216026 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2022.102923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
In the United States, racial disparities in adverse maternal health outcomes remain a pressing issue, with Black women experiencing a 3-4 times higher risk of maternal mortality and a 2-3 times higher risk of severe maternal morbidity. Despite recent encouraging efforts, fundamental determinants of these alarming inequities (e.g. structural racism) remain understudied. Approaches that address these structural drivers are needed to then intervene upon root causes of adverse maternal outcomes and their disparities and to ultimately improve maternal health across the U.S. In this paper, we offer a conceptual framework for studies of structural racism and maternal health disparities and systematically synthesize the current empirical epidemiologic literature on the links between structural racism measures and adverse maternal health outcomes. For the systematic review, we searched electronic databases (Pubmed, Web of Science, and EMBASE) to identify peer-reviewed U.S. based quantitative articles published between 1990 and 2021 that assessed the link between measures of structural racism and indicators of maternal morbidity/mortality. Our search yielded 2394 studies and after removing duplicates, 1408 were included in the title and abstract screening, of which 18 were included in the full text screening. Only 6 studies met all the specified inclusion criteria for this review. Results revealed that depending on population sub-group analyzed, measures used, and covariates considered, there was evidence that structural racism may increase the risk of adverse maternal health outcomes. This review also highlighted several areas for methodological and theoretical development in this body of work. Future work should more comprehensively assess structural racism in a way that informs policy and interventions, which can ameliorate its negative consequences on racial/ethnic disparities in maternal morbidity/mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elleni M Hailu
- Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California, 2121 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
| | - Sai Ramya Maddali
- Interdisciplinary Division, School of Public Health, University of California, 2121 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Jonathan M Snowden
- School of Public Health, Oregon Health & Science University-Portland State University, 1805 SW 4th Ave #623T, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
| | - Suzan L Carmichael
- Division of Neonatal & Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Obstetrics, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 3145 Porter Drive #A103, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Mahasin S Mujahid
- Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California, 2121 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
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Abstract
The US is the only developed country in the world with rising maternal mortality. This article discusses factors that contribute to this rise, disparities in maternal mortality, and steps nurses can take to help reverse this worsening trend.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Heavey
- Elizabeth Heavey is a certified nurse-midwife, professor of nursing, and the graduate nursing program director at the State University of New York College at Brockport
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Health equity is an important priority for obstetric anesthesia, but describing disparities in perinatal care process and health outcome is insufficient to achieve this goal. Conceptualizing and framing disparity is a prerequisite to pose meaningful research questions. We emphasize the need to hypothesize and test which mechanisms and drivers are instrumental for disparities in perinatal processes and outcomes, in order to target, test and refine effective countermeasures. RECENT FINDINGS With an emphasis on methodology and measurement, we sketch how health systems and disparity research may advance maternal health equity by narrating, conceptualizing, and investigating social determinants of health as key drivers of perinatal disparity, by identifying the granular mechanism of this disparity, by making the economic case to address them, and by testing specific interventions to advance obstetric health equity. SUMMARY Measuring social determinants of health and meaningful perinatal processes and outcomes precisely and accurately at the individual, family, community/neighborhood level is a prerequisite for healthcare disparity research. A focus on elucidating the precise mechanism driving disparity in processes of obstetric care would inform a more rational effort to promote health equity. Implementation scientists should rigorously investigate in prospective trials, which countermeasures are most efficient and effective in mitigating perinatal outcome disparities.
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Built and Social Environments, Environmental Justice, and Maternal Pregnancy Complications. CURRENT OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s13669-022-00339-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose of Review
The Environmental Justice Movement centers on addressing inequitable distribution of environmental harms in marginalized communities. It has been commonly understood as the disproportionate concentration of environmental pollutants or hazards. As such, much of the work on environmental harms and maternal pregnancy complications have focused on environmental toxins. This scoping review surveyed the literature exploring the built and social environment factors and maternal pregnancy complications among racially marginalized women and highlights how an environmental justice framework can inform policy interventions for maternal health inequities caused by structural racism in built and social environments.
Recent Findings
The literature examining the association between neighborhood level built and social environment factors and maternal pregnancy complications in the last five years is sparse. When excluding environmental toxins, we identified 16 studies that fit our criteria of neighborhood-level environmental exposure, with the majority focused on built environment factors, specifically proximity to greenspace and food environment.
Summary
We identified a few important gaps and opportunities for future research in this area. First is a need to explore additional built environment elements. Secondly, extensive research is needed on the social environment. Third is a critical understanding to incorporate structural racism and cultural perspectives to better understand these relationships in minoritized populations and highlight the intersection between environmental hazards concentration and their structural causes. Finally, an environmental justice framework is critically needed in the interpretation and translation of this literature to inform policy solutions that can counteract the harms in racially marginalized communities and improve health.
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