AJPH
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Figures Only
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow purchase articles
Right arrow View Shopping Cart
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Right arrow Get other permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Rauh, V. A.
Right arrow Articles by Garfinkel, R. S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Rauh, V. A.
Right arrow Articles by Garfinkel, R. S.
November 2001, Vol 91, No. 11 | American Journal of Public Health 1815-1824
© 2001 American Public Health Association

RESEARCH

The Contribution of Maternal Age to Racial Disparities in Birthweight: A Multilevel Perspective

Virginia A. Rauh, ScD, Howard F. Andrews, PhD and Robin S. Garfinkel, PhD

Virginia A. Rauh is with the Heilbrunn Center for Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY. Howard F. Andrews is with the Sergievsky Center, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY. Robin S. Garfinkel is with the Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Virginia A. Rauh, ScD, Heilbrunn Center for Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 60 Haven Ave, B-2, New York, NY 10032 (e-mail: var1{at}columbia.edu).

Objectives. This study assessed the contribution of age and other risk factors to racial disparities in rates of moderately low birthweight (MLBW; 1500–2499 g) and very low birthweight (VLBW; <1500 g).

Methods. Logistic regression models were developed to determine the effects on MLBW and VLBW of maternal age, race, and poverty, adjusting for birth order, smoking, substance abuse, marital status, and educational level. The sample consisted of 158 174 singleton births to US-born African American and White women in New York City between 1987 and 1993.

Results. The effects of maternal age on MLBW varied by race and poverty, with the most extreme effects among poor African American women. The effects of maternal age on VLBW also varied by race, but these effects were not moderated by poverty. Community poverty had a significant effect on MLBW among African American women, but no effect on VLBW. The adverse effect of older maternal age on MLBW and VLBW did not vary with community poverty.

Conclusions. Older maternal age is associated with reduced birthweight among infants born to African American women, and the age effect is exacerbated by individual poverty.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Epidemiol RevHome page
M. R. Kramer and C. R. Hogue
What Causes Racial Disparities in Very Preterm Birth? A Biosocial Perspective
Epidemiol. Rev., June 26, 2009; (2009) mxp003v3.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am J EpidemiolHome page
J. W. Collins Jr, R. J. David, K. M. Rankin, and J. R. Desireddi
Transgenerational Effect of Neighborhood Poverty on Low Birth Weight Among African Americans in Cook County, Illinois
Am. J. Epidemiol., March 15, 2009; 169(6): 712 - 717.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Public HealthHome page
M. L. Urquia, J. W. Frank, R. H. Glazier, R. Moineddin, F. I. Matheson, and A. J. Gagnon
Neighborhood Context and Infant Birthweight Among Recent Immigrant Mothers: A Multilevel Analysis
Am J Public Health, February 1, 2009; 99(2): 285 - 293.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am J EpidemiolHome page
T. L. Osypuk and D. Acevedo-Garcia
Are Racial Disparities in Preterm Birth Larger in Hypersegregated Areas?
Am. J. Epidemiol., June 1, 2008; 167(11): 1295 - 1304.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am J EpidemiolHome page
P. O'Campo, J. G. Burke, J. Culhane, I. T. Elo, J. Eyster, C. Holzman, L. C. Messer, J. S. Kaufman, and B. A. Laraia
Neighborhood Deprivation and Preterm Birth among Non-Hispanic Black and White Women in Eight Geographic Areas in the United States
Am. J. Epidemiol., January 15, 2008; 167(2): 155 - 163.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Public HealthHome page
C. G. Colen, A. T. Geronimus, J. Bound, and S. A. James
Maternal Upward Socioeconomic Mobility and Black-White Disparities in Infant Birthweight
Am J Public Health, November 1, 2006; 96(11): 2032 - 2039.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am J EpidemiolHome page
S. V. Subramanian, J. T. Chen, D. H. Rehkopf, P. D. Waterman, and N. Krieger
Comparing Individual- and Area-based Socioeconomic Measures for the Surveillance of Health Disparities: A Multilevel Analysis of Massachusetts Births, 1989-1991
Am. J. Epidemiol., November 1, 2006; 164(9): 823 - 834.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am J EpidemiolHome page
N. A. Ponce, K. J. Hoggatt, M. Wilhelm, and B. Ritz
Preterm Birth: The Interaction of Traffic-related Air Pollution with Economic Hardship in Los Angeles Neighborhoods
Am. J. Epidemiol., July 15, 2005; 162(2): 140 - 148.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Health Educ BehavHome page
M. C. Kegler, R. F. Oman, S. K. Vesely, K. R. McLeroy, C. B. Aspy, S. Rodine, and L. Marshall
Relationships Among Youth Assets and Neighborhood and Community Resources
Health Educ Behav, June 1, 2005; 32(3): 380 - 397.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Public HealthHome page
J. W. Collins Jr, R. J. David, A. Handler, S. Wall, and S. Andes
Very Low Birthweight in African American Infants: The Role of Maternal Exposure to Interpersonal Racial Discrimination
Am J Public Health, December 1, 2004; 94(12): 2132 - 2138.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Br Med BullHome page
A. T Geronimus
Teenage childbearing as cultural prism
Br. Med. Bull., June 1, 2004; 69(1): 155 - 166.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Epidemiol. Community HealthHome page
N Krieger, J T Chen, P D Waterman, M-J Soobader, S V Subramanian, and R Carson
Choosing area based socioeconomic measures to monitor social inequalities in low birth weight and childhood lead poisoning: The Public Health Disparities Geocoding Project (US)
J Epidemiol Community Health, March 1, 2003; 57(3): 186 - 199.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Int J EpidemiolHome page
J. W Rich-Edwards, S. L Buka, R. T Brennan, and F. Earls
Diverging associations of maternal age with low birthweight for black and white mothers
Int. J. Epidemiol., February 1, 2003; 32(1): 83 - 90.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Int J EpidemiolHome page
A. T Geronimus
Commentary: Weathering Chicago
Int. J. Epidemiol., February 1, 2003; 32(1): 90 - 91.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am J EpidemiolHome page
S. L. Buka, R. T. Brennan, J. W. Rich-Edwards, S. W. Raudenbush, and F. Earls
Neighborhood Support and the Birth Weight of Urban Infants
Am. J. Epidemiol., January 1, 2003; 157(1): 1 - 8.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am J EpidemiolHome page
P. O'Campo
Invited Commentary: Advancing Theory and Methods for Multilevel Models of Residential Neighborhoods and Health
Am. J. Epidemiol., January 1, 2003; 157(1): 9 - 13.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Public HealthHome page
C. Stevens-Simon
THE WEATHERING HYPOTHESIS
Am J Public Health, April 1, 2002; 92(4): 507 - 508.
[Full Text]

Home page
 Am. J. Public HealthHome page
A. V. Diez Roux
Investigating Neighborhood and Area Effects on Health
Am J Public Health, November 1, 2001; 91(11): 1783 - 1789.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2001 by the American Public Health Association