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Fall C, Baer RJ, Jelliffe-Pawlowski L, Matoba N, Lee HC, Chambers CD, Bandoli G. Racial and Ethnic Inequities in Therapeutic Hypothermia and Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: A Retrospective Cohort Study. J Pediatr 2024; 269:113966. [PMID: 38369239 PMCID: PMC11096019 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2024.113966] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate racial inequities in the use of therapeutic hypothermia (TH) and outcomes in infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). STUDY DESIGN We queried an administrative birth cohort of mother-baby pairs in California from 2010 through 2019 using International Classification of Diseases codes to evaluate the association between race and ethnicity and the application of TH in infants with HIE. We identified 4779 infants with HIE. Log-linear regression was used to calculate risk ratios (RR) for TH, adjusting for hospital transfer, rural location, gestational age between 35 and 37 weeks, and HIE severity. Risk of adverse infant outcome was calculated by race and ethnicity and stratified by TH. RESULTS From our identified cohort, 1338 (28.0%) neonates underwent TH. White infants were used as the reference sample, and 410 (28.4%) received TH. Black infants were significantly less likely to receive TH with 74 (20.0%) with an adjusted risk ratio (aRR) of 0.7 (95% CI 0.5-0.9). Black infants with any HIE who did not receive TH were more likely to have a hospital readmission (aRR 1.36, 95% CI 1.10-1.68) and a tracheostomy (aRR 3.07, 95% CI 1.19-7.97). Black infants with moderate/severe HIE who did not receive TH were more likely to have cerebral palsy (aRR 2.72, 95% CI 1.07-6.91). CONCLUSIONS In this study cohort, Black infants with HIE were significantly less likely to receive TH. Black infants also had significantly increased risk of some adverse outcomes of HIE. Possible reasons for this inequity include systemic barriers to care and systemic bias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn Fall
- Rady Children's Hospital of San Diego, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA
| | - Rebecca J Baer
- Division of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA; Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Laura Jelliffe-Pawlowski
- Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Nana Matoba
- Rady Children's Hospital of San Diego, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA
| | - Henry C Lee
- Rady Children's Hospital of San Diego, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA
| | - Christina D Chambers
- Rady Children's Hospital of San Diego, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA
| | - Gretchen Bandoli
- Rady Children's Hospital of San Diego, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA
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Kabangu JLK, Fry L, Bhargav AG, De Stefano FA, Bah MG, Hernandez A, Rouse AG, Peterson J, Ebersole K, Camarata PJ, Eden SV. Association of geographical disparities and segregation in regional treatment facilities for Black patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in the United States. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1341212. [PMID: 38799679 PMCID: PMC11121994 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1341212] [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: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Background and objectives This study investigates geographic disparities in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) care for Black patients and aims to explore the association with segregation in treatment facilities. Understanding these dynamics can guide efforts to improve healthcare outcomes for marginalized populations. Methods This cohort study evaluated regional differences in segregation for Black patients with aSAH and the association with geographic variations in disparities from 2016 to 2020. The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database was queried for admission data on aSAH. Black patients were compared to White patients. Segregation in treatment facilities was calculated using the dissimilarity (D) index. Using multivariable logistic regression models, the regional disparities in aSAH treatment, functional outcomes, mortality, and end-of-life care between Black and White patients and the association of geographical segregation in treatment facilities was assessed. Results 142,285 Black and White patients were diagnosed with aSAH from 2016 to 2020. The Pacific division (D index = 0.55) had the greatest degree of segregation in treatment facilities, while the South Atlantic (D index = 0.39) had the lowest. Compared to lower segregation, regions with higher levels of segregation (global F test p < 0.001) were associated a lower likelihood of mortality (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.82-1.00, p = 0.044 vs. OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.68-0.83, p < 0. 001) (p = 0.049), greater likelihood of tracheostomy tube placement (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.22-1.73, p < 0.001 vs. OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.59-2.21, p < 0.001) (p < 0. 001), and lower likelihood of receiving palliative care (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.76-0.93, p < 0.001 vs. OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.59-0.77, p < 0.001) (p = 0.029). Conclusion This study demonstrates regional differences in disparities for Black patients with aSAH, particularly in end-of-life care, with varying levels of segregation in regional treatment facilities playing an associated role. The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions and policy changes to address systemic healthcare inequities, reduce segregation, and ensure equitable access to high-quality care for all patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Luc K. Kabangu
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Lane Fry
- University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Adip G. Bhargav
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Frank A. De Stefano
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Momodou G. Bah
- Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Amanda Hernandez
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Adam G. Rouse
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Jeremy Peterson
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Koji Ebersole
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Paul J. Camarata
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Sonia V. Eden
- Department of Neurosurgery, Semmes Murphey Clinic, Memphis, TN, United States
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
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Razdan S, Hedli LC, Sigurdson K, Profit J, Morton CH. Disparity drivers, potential solutions, and the role of a health equity dashboard in the neonatal intensive care unit: a qualitative study. J Perinatol 2024; 44:659-664. [PMID: 38155228 DOI: 10.1038/s41372-023-01856-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Racial/ethnic disparities are well-described in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). We explored expert opinion on their etiology, potential solutions, and the ability of health equity dashboards to meaningfully capture NICU disparities. STUDY DESIGN We conducted 12 qualitative semi-structured interviews, purposively selecting a diverse group of neonatal experts. We used grounded theory to develop codes, shape interviews, and conduct analysis. RESULT We identified three sources of disparity: interpersonal bias, care process and institutional barriers, and social determinants of health, particularly as they affect parental engagement in the NICU. Proposed solutions included racial/cultural concordance, bolstering hospital-based resources, and policy interventions. Health equity dashboards were viewed as useful but limited, because clinical metrics do not account for many of the aforementioned sources of disparities. CONCLUSION Equity dashboards serve as a motivational starting point for quality improvement; future iterations may require novel, qualitative data sources to identify underlying etiologies of NICU disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheila Razdan
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Laura C Hedli
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Krista Sigurdson
- School of Journalism, Writing, and Media, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - Jochen Profit
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Christine H Morton
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
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Reddy KP, Ludomirsky AB, Jones AL, Shustak RJ, Faerber JA, Naim MY, Lopez KN, Mercer-Rosa LM. Racial, ethnic, and socio-economic disparities in neonatal ICU admissions among neonates born with cyanotic CHD in the United States, 2009-2018. Cardiol Young 2024:1-8. [PMID: 38653722 DOI: 10.1017/s1047951124024971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Disparities in CHD outcomes exist across the lifespan. However, less is known about disparities for patients with CHD admitted to neonatal ICU. We sought to identify sociodemographic disparities in neonatal ICU admissions among neonates born with cyanotic CHD. MATERIALS & METHODS Annual natality files from the US National Center for Health Statistics for years 2009-2018 were obtained. For each neonate, we identified sex, birthweight, pre-term birth, presence of cyanotic CHD, and neonatal ICU admission at time of birth, as well as maternal age, race, ethnicity, comorbidities/risk factors, trimester at start of prenatal care, educational attainment, and two measures of socio-economic status (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children [WIC] status and insurance type). Multivariable logistic regression models were fit to determine the association of maternal socio-economic status with neonatal ICU admission. A covariate for race/ethnicity was then added to each model to determine if race/ethnicity attenuate the relationship between socio-economic status and neonatal ICU admission. RESULTS Of 22,373 neonates born with cyanotic CHD, 77.2% had a neonatal ICU admission. Receipt of WIC benefits was associated with higher odds of neonatal ICU admission (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.20, 95% CI 1.1-1.29, p < 0.01). Neonates born to non-Hispanic Black mothers had increased odds of neonatal ICU admission (aOR 1.20, 95% CI 1.07-1.35, p < 0.01), whereas neonates born to Hispanic mothers were at lower odds of neonatal ICU admission (aOR 0.84, 95% CI 0.76-0.93, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION Maternal Black race and low socio-economic status are associated with increased risk of neonatal ICU admission for neonates born with cyanotic CHD. Further work is needed to identify the underlying causes of these disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kriyana P Reddy
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Avital B Ludomirsky
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Andrea L Jones
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Rachel J Shustak
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jennifer A Faerber
- Data Science and Biostatistics Unit, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Maryam Y Naim
- Division of Cardiac Critical Care Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine and Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Keila N Lopez
- Section of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children's Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Laura M Mercer-Rosa
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Alur P, Holla I, Hussain N. Impact of sex, race, and social determinants of health on neonatal outcomes. Front Pediatr 2024; 12:1377195. [PMID: 38655274 PMCID: PMC11035752 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2024.1377195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the global improvements in neonatal outcomes, mortality and morbidity rates among preterm infants are still unacceptably high. Therefore, it is crucial to thoroughly analyze the factors that affect these outcomes, including sex, race, and social determinants of health. By comprehending the influence of these factors, we can work towards reducing their impact and enhancing the quality of neonatal care. This review will summarize the available evidence on sex differences, racial differences, and social determinants of health related to neonates. This review will discuss sex differences in neonatal outcomes in part I and racial differences with social determinants of health in part II. Research has shown that sex differences begin to manifest in the early part of the pregnancy. Hence, we will explore this topic under two main categories: (1) Antenatal and (2) Postnatal sex differences. We will also discuss long-term outcome differences wherever the evidence is available. Multiple factors determine health outcomes during pregnancy and the newborn period. Apart from the genetic, biological, and sex-based differences that influence fetal and neonatal outcomes, racial and social factors influence the health and well-being of developing humans. Race categorizes humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally considered distinct within a given society. Social determinants of health (SDOH) are the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes. These factors can include a person's living conditions, access to healthy food, education, employment status, income level, and social support. Understanding these factors is essential in developing strategies to improve overall health outcomes in communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradeep Alur
- Penn State College of Medicine, Hampden Medical Center, Enola, PA, United States
| | - Ira Holla
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, United States
| | - Naveed Hussain
- Department of Pediatrics, Connecticut Children’s, Hartford, CT, United States
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Cochran ED, Jacobson JC, Nehrubabu M, Qiao J, McCreery S, Chung DH. Social Determinants of Outcomes Disparity among Pediatric Patients with Solid Tumor. J Am Coll Surg 2024; 238:463-478. [PMID: 38258890 DOI: 10.1097/xcs.0000000000001010] [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: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Socioeconomic factors have a significant impact on healthcare outcomes. Metrics such as area deprivation index (ADI) are used to quantify the anticipated influence of these factors. Here, we sought to assess the impact of socioeconomic factors on clinical outcomes among pediatric patients with solid tumor in our region. STUDY DESIGN We identified 3,863 pediatric patients who were diagnosed with a malignant solid tumor in the Texas Cancer Registry between 1995 and 2019. ADI was used to quantify socioeconomic determinants of health. These outcome variables were determined: stage of disease at diagnosis, time between diagnosis and treatment initiation, and overall mortality. Statistical analysis was performed using logistic regression, linear regression, Cox proportional hazards regression, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves. RESULTS A total of 53.5% of patients were male and the average age at diagnosis was 4.5 years. Forty-seven percent of patients were White, 13.3% were Black, 36.2% were Hispanic, 1.7% were Asian, and other rare minority groups made up 1.8%. On multivariable analysis, increased risk of death was associated with Black race, rare minority race, residence in a border county, and increasing ADI score, with the risk of death at 5 years rising 4% with each increasing ADI point. CONCLUSIONS Social determinants of health are associated with disparate outcomes among pediatric patients with solid tumor. Our results suggest that patients who are part of racial minority groups and those who reside in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods or regions near the Texas-Mexico border are at an increased risk of death. This information may be useful in strategizing outreach and expanding resources to improve outcomes in at-risk communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth D Cochran
- From the Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX (Cochran, Jacobson, Qiao, McCreery, Chung)
| | - Jillian C Jacobson
- From the Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX (Cochran, Jacobson, Qiao, McCreery, Chung)
| | - Mithin Nehrubabu
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Dallas, Dallas, TX (Nehrubabu)
| | - Jingbo Qiao
- From the Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX (Cochran, Jacobson, Qiao, McCreery, Chung)
| | - Sullivan McCreery
- From the Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX (Cochran, Jacobson, Qiao, McCreery, Chung)
| | - Dai H Chung
- From the Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX (Cochran, Jacobson, Qiao, McCreery, Chung)
- Children's Health, Dallas, TX (Chung)
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ElSeed Peterson EE, Roeckner JT, Deall TW, Karn M, Duncan JR, Flores-Torres J, Kumar A, Randis TM. Need for Gastrostomy Tube in Periviable Infants. Am J Perinatol 2024. [PMID: 38513690 DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1781461] [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: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We sought to identify clinical and demographic factors associated with gastrostomy tube (g-tube) placement in periviable infants. STUDY DESIGN We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study of live-born infants between 22 and 25 weeks' gestation. Infants not actively resuscitated and those with congenital anomalies were excluded from analysis. RESULTS Of the 243 infants included, 158 survived until discharge. Of those that survived to discharge, 35 required g-tube prior to discharge. Maternal race/ethnicity (p = 0.006), intraventricular hemorrhage (p = 0.013), periventricular leukomalacia (p = 0.003), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD; p ≤ 0.001), and singleton gestation (p = 0.009) were associated with need for gastrostomy. In a multivariable logistic regression, maternal Black race (Odds Ratio [OR] 2.88; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-7.47; p = 0.029), singleton gestation (OR 3.99; 95% CI 1.28-12.4; p = 0.017) and BPD (zero g-tube placement in the no BPD arm; p ≤ 0.001) were associated with need for g-tube. CONCLUSION A high percentage of periviable infants surviving until discharge require g-tube at our institution. In this single-center retrospective study, we noted that maternal Black race, singleton gestation, and BPD were associated with increased risk for g-tube placement in infants born between 22 and 25 weeks' gestation. The finding of increased risk with maternal Black race is consistent with previous reports of racial/ethnic disparities in preterm morbidities. Additional studies examining factors associated with successful achievement of oral feedings in preterm infants are necessary and will inform future efforts to advance equity in newborn health. KEY POINTS · BPD, singleton birth, and Black race are associated with need for g-tube in periviable infants.. · Severe intraventricular hemorrhage is associated with increased mortality or g-tube placement in periviable infants.. · Further investigation into the relationship between maternal race and g-tube placement is warranted..
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica E ElSeed Peterson
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida, Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida
| | - Jared T Roeckner
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Florida Perinatal Associates, Pediatrix, Tampa, Florida
| | - Taylor W Deall
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida, Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida
| | - Michele Karn
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins All Children Hospital, St. Petersburg, Florida
| | - Jose R Duncan
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology University of South Florida, Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida
| | - Jaime Flores-Torres
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida, Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida
| | - Ambuj Kumar
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida, Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida
| | - Tara M Randis
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida, Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida
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Mays EJ, Diggs S, Vesoulis ZA, Warner B. The Effects of Health Disparities on Neonatal Outcomes. Crit Care Nurs Clin North Am 2024; 36:11-22. [PMID: 38296368 DOI: 10.1016/j.cnc.2023.08.006] [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] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
The history of racism in the United States was established with slavery, and the carry-over effect continues to impact health care through structural and institutional racism. Racial segregation and redlining have impacted access to quality health care, thereby impacting prematurity and infant mortality rates. Health disparities also impact neonatal morbidities such as intraventricular hemorrhage and necrotizing enterocolitis and the family care experience including the establishment of breastfeeding and health care provider interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin J Mays
- St. Louis Children's Hospital NICU, 1 Childrens Place, St Louis, MO 63110, USA.
| | - Stephanie Diggs
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 1 Childrens Place, #8116-NWT 8, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Zachary A Vesoulis
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 1 Childrens Place, #8116-NWT 8, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Barbara Warner
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 1 Childrens Place, #8116-NWT 8, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
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Gould JB, Bennett MV, Profit J, Lee HC. Cohort selection and the estimation of racial disparity in mortality of extremely preterm neonates. Pediatr Res 2024; 95:792-801. [PMID: 37580552 PMCID: PMC10899100 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-023-02766-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Racial disparities in preterm neonatal mortality are long-standing. We aimed to assess how cohort selection influences mortality rates and racial disparity estimates. METHODS With 2014-2018 California data, we compared neonatal mortality rates among Black and non-Hispanic White very low birth weight (VLBW, <1500 g) or very preterm infants (22-29 weeks gestational age). Relative risks were estimated by different cohort selection criteria. Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition quantified factors contributing to mortality differential. RESULTS Depending upon standard selection criteria, mortality ranged from 6.2% (VLBW infants excluding first 12-h deaths) to 16.0% (22-29 weeks' gestation including all deaths). Black observed neonatal mortality was higher than White infants only for delivery room deaths in VLBW infants (5.6 vs 4.2%). With risk adjustment accounting for higher rate of low gestational age, low Apgar score and other factors, White infant mortality increased from 15.9 to 16.6%, while Black infant mortality decreased from 16.7 to 13.7% in the 22-29 weeks cohort. Across varying cohort selection, risk adjusted survival advantage among Black infants ranged from 0.70 (CL 0.61-0.80) to 0.84 (CL 0.76-0.93). CONCLUSIONS Standard cohort selection can give markedly different mortality estimates. It is necessary to reduce prematurity rates and perinatal morbidity to improve outcomes for Black infants. IMPACT In this population-based observational cohort study that encompassed very low birth weight infant hospitalizations in California, varying standard methods of cohort selection resulted in neonatal mortality ranges from 6.2 to 16.0%. Across all cohorts, the only significant observed Black-White disparity was for delivery room deaths in Very Low Birth Weight births (5.6 vs 4.2%). Across all cohorts, we found a 16-30% survival advantage for Black infants. Cohort selection can result in an almost three-fold difference in estimated mortality but did not have a meaningful impact on observed or adjusted differences in neonatal mortality outcomes by race and ethnicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey B Gould
- Department of Pediatrics (Neonatology), Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Mihoko V Bennett
- Department of Pediatrics (Neonatology), Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jochen Profit
- Department of Pediatrics (Neonatology), Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Henry C Lee
- California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative, Stanford, CA, USA.
- University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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Vance AJ, Farmer ML, D'Agata A, Moore T, Esser M, Fortney CA. NANN Membership Recommendations: Opportunities to Advance Racial Equity Within the Organization. Adv Neonatal Care 2024; 24:71-77. [PMID: 37703135 DOI: 10.1097/anc.0000000000001111] [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: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neonatal care has advanced significantly in recent years, yet racial health inequities persist in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), with infants from racial and ethnic minority groups less likely to receive recommended treatment. Healthcare providers acknowledge that there are steps that can be taken to increase knowledge and awareness regarding health inequities. PURPOSE To better understand current health equity-related initiatives in the neonatal community and solicit feedback from National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN) membership about advancing racial equity within the organization. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted in January 2021. The anonymous, onetime survey was distributed to active NANN members via SurveyMonkey and included questions related to racial equity initiatives, recommendations, and demographics. Data analysis was conducted using an exploratory approach using descriptive statistics, and thematic analysis was used to summarize responses to open-ended questions. RESULTS There were 325 members who completed the full survey, of whom were White (83%), female (96%), staff nurses (42%), and those with more than 16 years of experience (69%), and most (69%) were familiar with NANN's racial equity position statement. Recommendations were summarized into the following themes: (1) research, (2) education, (3) workforce diversity, (4) communication, (5) scholarships, (6) resources, and (7) community outreach. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE AND RESEARCH NANN members offered clear and actionable recommendations to advance health equity within the neonatal community and organization, which included offering more diversity, inclusion, and equity education at the annual conferences, in ANC articles, and newsletters, and the creation of scholarships or reduced membership fees to encourage diverse enrollment in the organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashlee J Vance
- Henry Ford Health, Detroit, Michigan (Dr Vance); Marietta Neonatology, Marietta, Georgia (Dr Farmer); The Univeristy of Rhode Island College of Nursing, Kingston, Rhode Island (Dr D'Agata); Univeristy of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing, Omaha, Nebraska (Dr Moore); Alverno College School of Nursing and Health Professions, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Dr Esser); and The Ohio State University College of Nursing, Columbus, Ohio (Dr Fortney)
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Slopen N, Chang AR, Johnson TJ, Anderson AT, Bate AM, Clark S, Cohen A, Jindal M, Karbeah J, Pachter LM, Priest N, Suglia SF, Bryce N, Fawcett A, Heard-Garris N. Racial and ethnic inequities in the quality of paediatric care in the USA: a review of quantitative evidence. THE LANCET. CHILD & ADOLESCENT HEALTH 2024; 8:147-158. [PMID: 38242597 DOI: 10.1016/s2352-4642(23)00251-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Racial and ethnic inequities in paediatric care have received increased research attention over the past two decades, particularly in the past 5 years, alongside an increased societal focus on racism. In this Series paper, the first in a two-part Series focused on racism and child health in the USA, we summarise evidence on racial and ethnic inequities in the quality of paediatric care. We review studies published between Jan 1, 2017 and July 31, 2022, that are adjusted for or stratified by insurance status to account for group differences in access, and we exclude studies in which differences in access are probably driven by patient preferences or the appropriateness of intervention. Overall, the literature reveals widespread patterns of inequitable treatment across paediatric specialties, including neonatology, primary care, emergency medicine, inpatient and critical care, surgery, developmental disabilities, mental health care, endocrinology, and palliative care. The identified studies indicate that children from minoritised racial and ethnic groups received poorer health-care services relative to non-Hispanic White children, with most studies drawing on data from multiple sites, and accounting for indicators of family socioeconomic position and clinical characteristics (eg, comorbidities or condition severity). The studies discussed a range of potential causes for the observed disparities, including implicit biases and differences in site of care or clinician characteristics. We outline priorities for future research to better understand and address paediatric treatment inequities and implications for practice and policy. Policy changes within and beyond the health-care system, discussed further in the second paper of this Series, are essential to address the root causes of treatment inequities and to promote equitable and excellent health for all children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Slopen
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA; Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Andrew R Chang
- Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Ashaunta T Anderson
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Aleha M Bate
- Milburn Smith Child Health Outcomes, Research, and Evaluation Center, Chicago, IL, USA; Stanely Manne Children's Research Institute, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Shawnese Clark
- Milburn Smith Child Health Outcomes, Research, and Evaluation Center, Chicago, IL, USA; Stanely Manne Children's Research Institute, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Alyssa Cohen
- Milburn Smith Child Health Outcomes, Research, and Evaluation Center, Chicago, IL, USA; Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Monique Jindal
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - J'Mag Karbeah
- Division of Health Policy and Management, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Lee M Pachter
- Institute for Research on Equity and Community Health, ChristianaCare, Wilmington, DE, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA; School of Population Health, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Naomi Priest
- Centre for Social Research and Methods, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia; Population Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Shakira F Suglia
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nessa Bryce
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andrea Fawcett
- Department of Clinical and Organizational Development, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Nia Heard-Garris
- Milburn Smith Child Health Outcomes, Research, and Evaluation Center, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
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Nist MD, Harrison TM, Shoben AB, Pickler RH. Predictors of Stress Exposure in Hospitalized Preterm Infants. Adv Neonatal Care 2023; 23:575-582. [PMID: 37747305 PMCID: PMC10840813 DOI: 10.1097/anc.0000000000001099] [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: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stress exposure in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is associated with poor outcomes in preterm infants. However, factors predicting subsequent NICU stress exposure have not been identified. PURPOSE To characterize NICU stressors experienced by preterm infants during the first 2 weeks of life and identify demographic, perinatal, and institutional variables associated with stress exposure. METHODS A secondary analysis of data from a nonexperimental, prospective study was conducted using data from 60 very preterm infants born 28 to 31 weeks gestational age. Stress exposures during the first 2 weeks of life, operationalized as number of invasive procedures, were characterized by type and quantity for each infant using data extracted from electronic health records. Associations between number of invasive procedures and demographic, perinatal, or institutional variables were analyzed using linear regressions with robust standard errors. RESULTS Preterm infants experienced, on average, 98 (SD = 41.8) invasive procedures. Of these invasive procedures, nasal and/or oral suctioning episodes (58.1%), followed by skin-breaking procedures (32.6%), were most frequent. Differences in the number of invasive procedures were found for maternal race; infants born to Black mothers experienced fewer total invasive procedures than infants born to White mothers. The number of invasive procedures also varied across NICUs. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE AND RESEARCH Preterm infant stress exposure differed by maternal race and NICU, consistent with research findings of differential treatment of diverse infants. Further research is needed to understand the reasons for these differences and to identify best practices to standardize neonatal care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marliese Dion Nist
- Martha S. Pitzer Center for Women, Children and Youth, The Ohio State University College of Nursing, Columbus (Drs Nist, Harrison, and Pickler); and Division of Biostatistics, The Ohio State University College of Public Health, Columbus (Dr Shoben)
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Lyle ANJ, Shaikh H, Oslin E, Gray MM, Weiss EM. Race and Ethnicity of Infants Enrolled in Neonatal Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2348882. [PMID: 38127349 PMCID: PMC10739112 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.48882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Representativeness of populations within neonatal clinical trials is crucial to moving the field forward. Although racial and ethnic disparities in research inclusion are well documented in other fields, they are poorly described within neonatology. Objective To describe the race and ethnicity of infants included in a sample of recent US neonatal clinical trials and the variability in this reporting. Evidence Review A systematic search of US neonatal clinical trials entered into Cochrane CENTRAL 2017 to 2021 was conducted. Two individuals performed inclusion determination, data extraction, and quality assessment independently with discrepancies adjudicated by consensus. Findings Of 120 studies with 14 479 participants that met the inclusion criteria, 75 (62.5%) included any participant race or ethnicity data. In the studies that reported race and ethnicity, the median (IQR) percentage of participants of each background were 0% (0%-1%) Asian, 26% (9%-42%) Black, 3% (0%-12%) Hispanic, 0% (0%-0%) Indigenous (eg, Alaska Native, American Indian, and Native Hawaiian), 0% (0%-0%) multiple races, 57% (30%-68%) White, and 7% (1%-21%) other race or ethnicity. Asian, Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous participants were underrepresented, while White participants were overrepresented compared with a reference sample of the US clinical neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) population from the Vermont Oxford Network. Many participants were labeled as other race or ethnicity without adequate description. There was substantial variability in terms and methods of reporting race and ethnicity data. Geographic representation was heavily skewed toward the Northeast, with nearly one-quarter of states unrepresented. Conclusions and Relevance These findings suggest that neonatal research may perpetuate inequities by underrepresenting Asian, Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous neonates in clinical trials. Studies varied in documentation of race and ethnicity, and there was regional variation in the sites included. Based on these findings, funders and clinical trialists are advised to consider a 3-point targeted approach to address these issues: prioritize identifying ways to increase diversity in neonatal clinical trial participation, agree on a standardized method to report race and ethnicity among neonatal clinical trial participants, and prioritize the inclusion of participants from all regions of the US in neonatal clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison N J Lyle
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle
| | - Henna Shaikh
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle
| | - Ellie Oslin
- Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics and Palliative Care, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
| | - Megan M Gray
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle
| | - Elliott Mark Weiss
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle
- Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics and Palliative Care, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
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Vidiella-Martin J, Been JV. Maternal Migration Background and Mortality Among Infants Born Extremely Preterm. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2347444. [PMID: 38091041 PMCID: PMC10719757 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.47444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Extremely preterm infants require care provided in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) to survive. In the Netherlands, a decision is made regarding active treatment between 24 weeks 0 days and 25 weeks 6 days after consultation with the parents. Objective To investigate the association between maternal migration background and admissions to NICUs and mortality within the first year among extremely preterm infants. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study linked data of registered births in the Netherlands with household-level income tax records and municipality and mortality registers. Eligible participants were households with live births at 24 weeks 0 days to 25 weeks 6 days gestation between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2017. Data linkage and analysis was performed from March 1, 2020, to June 30, 2023. Exposure Maternal migration background, defined as no migration background vs first- or second-generation migrant mother. Main Outcomes and Measures Admissions to NICUs and mortality within the first week, month, and year of life. Logistic regressions were estimated adjusted for year of birth, maternal age, parity, household income, sex, gestational age, multiple births, and small for gestational age. NICU-specific fixed effects were also included. Results Among 1405 live births (768 male [54.7%], 546 [38.9%] with maternal migration background), 1243 (88.5%) were admitted to the NICU; 490 of 546 infants (89.7%) born to mothers with a migration background vs 753 of 859 infants (87.7%) born to mothers with no migration background were admitted to NICU (fully adjusted RR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.99-1.08). A total of 652 live-born infants (46.4%) died within the first year of life. In the fully adjusted model, infants born to mothers with a migration background had lower risk of mortality within the first week (RR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.66-0.99), month (RR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.72-0.97), and year of life (RR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.75-0.96) compared with infants born to mothers with no migration background. Conclusions In this nationally representative cross-sectional study, infants born to mothers with a migration background at 24 weeks 0 days to 25 weeks 6 days of gestation in the Netherlands had lower risk of mortality within the first year of life than those born to mothers with no migration background, a result that was unlikely to be explained by mothers from different migration backgrounds attending different NICUs or differential preferences for active obstetric management across migration backgrounds. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms driving these disparities, including parental preferences for active care of extremely preterm infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joaquim Vidiella-Martin
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Erasmus School of Economics, Tinbergen Institute and Erasmus Centre for Health Economics Rotterdam (EsCHER), Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jasper V. Been
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Neonatal and Paediatric Intensive Care, Erasmus MC Sophia Children’s Hospital, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erasmus MC Sophia Children’s Hospital, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Pang EM, Liu J, Lu T, Joshi NS, Gould J, Lee HC. Evaluating Epidemiologic Trends and Variations in NICU Admissions in California, 2008 to 2018. Hosp Pediatr 2023; 13:976-983. [PMID: 37867440 PMCID: PMC10593864 DOI: 10.1542/hpeds.2023-007190] [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: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Previous research suggests increasing numbers of and variation in NICU admissions. We explored whether these trends were reflected in California by examining NICU admissions and birth data in aggregate and among patient and hospital subpopulations more susceptible to variations in care. METHODS In this retrospective cohort study, we evaluated NICU utilization between 2008 and 2018 for all live births at hospitals that provide data to the California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative. We compared hospital- and admission-level data across birth weight (BW), gestational age (GA), and illness acuity categories. Trends were analyzed by using linear regression models. RESULTS We identified 472 402 inborn NICU admissions and 3 960 441 live births across 144 hospitals. Yearly trends in NICU admissions remained stable among all births and higher acuity births (mean admission rates 11.9% and 4.1%, respectively). However, analysis of the higher acuity births revealed significant increases in NICU admission rates for neonates with higher BW and GA (BW ≥ 2500g: 1.8% in 2008, 2.1% in 2018; GA ≥ 37 weeks: 1.5% in 2010, 1.8% in 2018). Kaiser hospitals had a decreasing trend of NICU admissions compared to non-Kaiser hospitals (Kaiser: 13.9% in 2008, 10.1% in 2018; non-Kaiser: 11.3% in 2008, 12.3% in 2018). CONCLUSIONS Overall NICU admission rates in California were stable from 2008-2018. However, trends similar to national patterns emerged when stratified by infant GA, BW, and illness acuity as well as Kaiser or non-Kaiser hospitals, with increasing admission rates for infants born at higher BW and GA and within non-Kaiser hospitals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily M. Pang
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Jessica Liu
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics
- California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative (CPQCC)
| | - Tianyao Lu
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics
- California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative (CPQCC)
| | - Neha S. Joshi
- Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Jeffrey Gould
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics
- California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative (CPQCC)
| | - Henry C. Lee
- California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative (CPQCC)
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California
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Venkatesan T, Rees P, Gardiner J, Battersby C, Purkayastha M, Gale C, Sutcliffe AG. National Trends in Preterm Infant Mortality in the United States by Race and Socioeconomic Status, 1995-2020. JAMA Pediatr 2023; 177:1085-1095. [PMID: 37669025 PMCID: PMC10481321 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.3487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Importance Inequalities in preterm infant mortality exist between population subgroups within the United States. Objective To characterize trends in preterm infant mortality by maternal race and socioeconomic status to assess how inequalities in preterm mortality rates have changed over time. Design, Setting, and Participants This was a retrospective longitudinal descriptive study using the US National Center for Health Statistics birth infant/death data set for 12 256 303 preterm infant births over 26 years, between 1995 and 2020. Data were analyzed from December 2022 to March 2023. Exposures Maternal characteristics including race, smoking status, educational attainment, antenatal care, and insurance status were used as reported on an infant's US birth certificate. Main Outcomes and Measures Preterm infant mortality rate was calculated for each year from 1995 to 2020 for all subgroups, with a trend regression coefficient calculated to describe the rate of change in preterm mortality. Results The average US preterm infant mortality rate (IMR) decreased from 33.71 (95% CI, 33.71 to 34.04) per 1000 preterm births per year between 1995-1997, to 23.32 (95% CI, 23.05 to 23.58) between 2018-2020. Black non-Hispanic infants were more likely to die following preterm births than White non-Hispanic infants (IMR, 31.09; 95% CI, 30.44 to 31.74, vs 21.81; 95% CI, 21.43 to 22.18, in 2018-2020); however, once born, extremely prematurely Black and Hispanic infants had a narrow survival advantage (IMR rate ratio, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.84 to 0.91, in 2018-2020). The rate of decrease in preterm IMR was higher in Black infants (-0.015) than in White (-0.013) and Hispanic infants (-0.010); however, the relative risk of preterm IMR among Black infants compared with White infants remained the same between 1995-1997 vs 2018-2020 (relative risk, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.38 to 1.44, vs 1.43; 95% CI, 1.39 to 1.46). The rate of decrease in preterm IMR was higher in nonsmokers compared with smokers (-0.015 vs -0.010, respectively), in those with high levels of education compared with those with intermediate or low (-0.016 vs - 0.010 or -0.011, respectively), and in those who had received adequate antenatal care compared with those who did not (-0.014 vs -0.012 for intermediate and -0.013 for inadequate antenatal care). Over time, the relative risk of preterm mortality widened within each of these subgroups. Conclusions and Relevance This study found that between 1995 and 2020, US preterm infant mortality improved among all categories of prematurity. Inequalities in preterm infant mortality based on maternal race and ethnicity have remained constant while socioeconomic disparities have widened over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Venkatesan
- Department of Population, Policy, and Practice, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Philippa Rees
- Department of Population, Policy, and Practice, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Julian Gardiner
- Department of Population, Policy, and Practice, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Education, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Cheryl Battersby
- Department of Neonatal Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mitana Purkayastha
- Department of Population, Policy, and Practice, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Chris Gale
- Department of Neonatal Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alastair G. Sutcliffe
- Department of Population, Policy, and Practice, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
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Ajayi KV, Garney WR. Understanding the Domains of Experiences of Black Mothers with Preterm Infants in the United States: A Systematic Literature Review. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2023; 10:2453-2469. [PMID: 36199006 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-022-01425-0] [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: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To report the domains of Black mothers' experiences with preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and to determine the frameworks used. METHODS A systematic review of the literature using the PRISMA guideline was performed. An electronic database search of published literature between 2000 and 2022 was conducted based on predetermined search terms and parameters. RESULTS Twenty-seven articles met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Eleven articles focused on feeding practices, ten reported on nursing/maternal care experiences, five reported mental health/social support, and only one focused on mother-infant relationships. Only five papers reported using any frameworks, comprising grounded theory framework (n = 2), theory of planned behavior (n = 1), research justice framework (n = 1), and the patient and public engagement protocol (n = 1). DISCUSSION A holistic approach to understanding the multifactorial experiences of Black mothers with preterm infants needs to be socio-culturally competent to ensure their diverse intersections and identities are accurately represented and understood. Rigorous research at the intersection of Black maternal health and the NICU hold promises for advancing maternal health equity in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kobi V Ajayi
- Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
- Laboratory for Community Health Evaluation and Systems Science, Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
| | - Whitney R Garney
- Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
- Laboratory for Community Health Evaluation and Systems Science, Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
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Brito S, Williams A, Fox J, Mohammed T, Chahin N, McCarthy K, Nubayaat L, Nunlist S, Brannon M, Xu J, Hendricks-Muñoz KD. Lactation Support as a Proxy Measure of Family-Centered Care Quality in Neonates with Life-Limiting Conditions-A Comparative Study. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:1635. [PMID: 37892298 PMCID: PMC10605637 DOI: 10.3390/children10101635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lactation support is an important measure of Family-Centered Care (FCC) in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Life-limiting conditions (LLCs) raise complex ethical care issues for providers and parents in the NICU and represent a key and often overlooked population for whom FCC is particularly important. We investigated healthcare disparities in FCC lactation support quality in infants with LLCs. METHODS A retrospective cohort of inborn infants with or without LLCs admitted to the NICU between 2015-2023 included 395 infants with 219 LLC infants and 176 matched non-LLC infants and were compared on LLC supports. RESULTS The LLC cohort experienced greater skin-to-skin support, but less lactation specialist visits, breast pumps provided, and human milk oral care use. LLC infants also experienced less maternal visitation, use of donor milk (LLC: 15.5%, non-LLC: 33.5%), and breastfeeds (LLC: 24.2%, non-LLC: 43.2%), with lower mean human milk provision (LLC: 36.6%, non-LLC: 67.1%). LLC infants who survived to discharge had similar human milk use as non-LLC infants (LLC: 49.8%, non-LLC: 50.6%). CONCLUSION Lactation support was significantly absent for families and infants who presented with LLCs in the NICU, suggesting that policies can be altered to increase lactation support FCC quality for this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suneeta Brito
- Division of Neonatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 980646, Richmond, VA 23298-0646, USA
| | - Allison Williams
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 980646, Richmond, VA 23298-0646, USA
| | - Jenny Fox
- Division of Neonatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 980646, Richmond, VA 23298-0646, USA
| | - Tazuddin Mohammed
- Division of Neonatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 980646, Richmond, VA 23298-0646, USA
| | - Nayef Chahin
- Division of Neonatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 980646, Richmond, VA 23298-0646, USA
| | - Kaitlin McCarthy
- Eastern Virginia School of Medicine, P.O. Box 1980, Norfolk, VA 23501-1980, USA
| | | | - Shirley Nunlist
- Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 980646, Richmond, VA 23298-0646, USA
| | - Mason Brannon
- Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 980646, Richmond, VA 23298-0646, USA
| | - Jie Xu
- Division of Neonatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 980646, Richmond, VA 23298-0646, USA
| | - Karen D Hendricks-Muñoz
- Division of Neonatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 980646, Richmond, VA 23298-0646, USA
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Ballone N, Richards E. Racial/Ethnic Disparities and Women's Mental Health: Considerations for Providing Culturally Sensitive Care. Psychiatr Clin North Am 2023; 46:571-582. [PMID: 37500251 DOI: 10.1016/j.psc.2023.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Racial and ethnic disparities are apparent in many areas of health care. Within mental health, women experience increased rates of some mental health disorders particularly noted within the reproductive life cycle starting at puberty and ending with the menopause transition. Hormone and endocrine processes along with individual vulnerability and various stressors all likely play a major role. Among these women, a disproportionate number are racial and ethnic minorities in the United States. Cultural influences and systemic barriers are explored to provide competent and necessary mental health care for women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Ballone
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, 600 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Erica Richards
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, 600 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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McLaughlin CC, Boscoe FP. The geography of Medicare's hospital value-based purchasing in relation to market demographics. Health Serv Res 2023; 58:844-852. [PMID: 36755373 PMCID: PMC10315389 DOI: 10.1111/1475-6773.14141] [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] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To illustrate the association between the sociodemographic characteristics of hospital markets and the geographic patterns of Medicare hospital value-based purchasing (HVBP) scores. DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SETTING This is a secondary analysis of United States hospitals with a HVBP Total Performance Score (TPS) for 2019 in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare database (4/2021 release) and American Community Survey (ACS) data for 2015-2019. STUDY DESIGN This is a cross-sectional study using spatial multivariable autoregressive models with HVBP TPS and component domain scores as dependent variables and hospital market demographics as the independent variables. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS We calculated hospital market demographics using ZIP code level data from the ACS, weighted the 2019 CMS inpatient Hospital Service Area file. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Spatial autoregressive models using eight nearest neighbors with diversity index, race and ethnicity distribution, families in poverty, unemployment, and lack of health insurance among residents ages 19-64 years provided the best model fit. Diversity index had the highest statistically significant contribution to lower TPS (ß = -12.79, p < 0.0001), followed by the percent of the population coded to "non-Hispanic, some other race" (ß = -2.59, p < 0.0023), and the percent of families in poverty (ß = -0.26, p < 0.0001). Percent of the population was non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaskan Native (ß = 0.35, p < 0.0001) and percent non-Hispanic Asian (ß = 0.12, p < 0.02071) were associated with higher TPS. Lower predicted TPS was observed in large urban cities throughout the US as well as in states throughout the Southeastern US. Similar geographic patterns were observed for the predicted Patient Safety, Person and Community Engagement, and Efficiency and Cost Reduction domain scores but are not for predicted Clinical Outcomes scores. CONCLUSIONS The lower predicted scores seen in cities and in the Southeastern region potentially reflect an inherent-that is, structural-association between market sociodemographics and HVBP scores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colleen C. McLaughlin
- Department of Population Health SciencesAlbany College of Pharmacy and Health SciencesAlbanyNew YorkUSA
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Brumbaugh JE, Vohr BR, Bell EF, Bann CM, Travers CP, McGowan EC, Harmon HM, Carlo WA, Duncan AF, Hintz SR. Early-Life Outcomes in Relation to Social Determinants of Health for Children Born Extremely Preterm. J Pediatr 2023; 259:113443. [PMID: 37105408 PMCID: PMC10468025 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.113443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To characterize the relationships between social determinants of health (SDOH) and outcomes for children born extremely preterm. STUDY DESIGN This is a cohort study of infants born at 22-26 weeks of gestation in National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network centers (2006-2017) who survived to discharge. Infants were classified by 3 maternal SDOH: education, insurance, and race. Outcomes included postmenstrual age (PMA) at discharge, readmission, neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI), and death postdischarge. Regression analyses adjusted for center, perinatal characteristics, neonatal morbidity, ethnicity, and 2 SDOH (eg, group comparisons by education adjusted for insurance and race). RESULTS Of 7438 children, 5442 (73%) had at least 1 risk-associated SDOH. PMA at discharge was older (adjusted mean difference 0.37 weeks, 95% CL 0.06, 0.68) and readmission more likely (aOR 1.27, 95% CL 1.12, 1.43) for infants whose mothers had public/no insurance vs private. Neither PMA at discharge nor readmission varied by education or race. NDI was twice as likely (aOR 2.36, 95% CL 1.86, 3.00) and death 5 times as likely (aOR 5.22, 95% CL 2.54, 10.73) for infants with 3 risk-associated SDOH compared with those with none. CONCLUSIONS Children born to mothers with public/no insurance were older at discharge and more likely to be readmitted than those born to privately insured mothers. NDI and death postdischarge were more common among children exposed to multiple risk-associated SDOH at birth compared with those not exposed. Addressing disparities due to maternal education, insurance coverage, and systemic racism are potential intervention targets to improve outcomes for children born preterm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane E Brumbaugh
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
| | - Betty R Vohr
- Department of Pediatrics, Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Warren Albert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Edward F Bell
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Carla M Bann
- Social, Statistical and Environmental Sciences Unit, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC
| | - Colm P Travers
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
| | - Elisabeth C McGowan
- Department of Pediatrics, Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Warren Albert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Heidi M Harmon
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Waldemar A Carlo
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
| | - Andrea F Duncan
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Susan R Hintz
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Palo Alto, CA
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22
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Miller ER, Hudak ML. Medicaid and newborn care: challenges and opportunities. J Perinatol 2023; 43:1072-1078. [PMID: 37438483 DOI: 10.1038/s41372-023-01714-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Since its creation in 1965, Medicaid has operated as a federal-state partnership that provides a robust set of medical benefits to low-income families, including pregnant people and infants. In many ways, Medicaid has met its initial promise. However, medical benefits, provider payments, and key administrative procedures regarding eligibility, enrollment, and access to care vary substantially among state Medicaid programs. These variations have created profound inequities across states in the care of parents and children, particularly during pregnancy and in the postpartum and neonatal periods. Here we review select aspects of the Medicaid program pertinent to newborns and infants that contribute to eligibility and enrollment gaps, variations in benefits coverage and payment rates, and racial disparities in both access to healthcare and infant health outcomes. We outline a number of structural reforms of the Medicaid program that can improve newborn and infant access to care and outcomes and redress existing inequities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R Miller
- Division of Neonatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
| | - Mark L Hudak
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, University of Florida College of Medicine - Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL, USA
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Docheva N, Heimberger S, Mueller A, Bisson C, Arenas G, Perdigao JL, Kordik A, Stewart K, Goodall P, Lengyel E, Rana S. A Comparison of Obstetric Interventions and Outcomes Between Black and White Patients at an Urban Tertiary Medical Center. Reprod Sci 2023; 30:2313-2323. [PMID: 36717463 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-023-01174-3] [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: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The objective of the study is to evaluate whether rates of selected labor and delivery interventions and severe maternal morbidity (SMM) differ between Black and White pregnant patients. This retrospective observational cohort study included all Black or White pregnant patients who delivered at the University of Chicago Medical Center between January 2015 and December 2019. Data queried included demographic information, antepartum complications, preterm interventions, labor and delivery events, and neonatal outcomes. SMM was a composite outcome, including intensive care unit admission, blood transfusion, hysterectomy, eclampsia, cardiac arrest, or death. In total, 10,885 parturients (9001 Black and 1884 White) and 11,211 neonates (9254 born to Black and 1957 to White patients) were included in the study. Black patients were more likely to have preterm labor (3.51% vs. 1.86%, p = 0.0002) and no prenatal care (17.83% vs. 4.05%, p < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in the administration of magnesium sulfate for fetal neuroprotection (Black 44.78% vs. White 49.32%, p = 0.48) or antenatal corticosteroids (Black 67.83% vs. White 71.98%, p = 0.28) among those with preterm delivery. There was no significant difference in SMM (Black 2.24% vs. White 2.44%, p = 0.60), and SMM rates decreased over time (OR 0.79 per year, 95% CI: 0.72-0.87, p < 0.0001) for all patients. Black patients had more pregnancy complications, but their complications were addressed with similar rates of obstetrical interventions. In a high-resource setting, there was no difference in rates of SMM when compared to White patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolina Docheva
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Ave, MC 2050, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Sarah Heimberger
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Ave, MC 2050, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Ariel Mueller
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Ave, MC 2050, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Courtney Bisson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Ave, MC 2050, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Gabriel Arenas
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Ave, MC 2050, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Joana Lopes Perdigao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Ave, MC 2050, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Abbe Kordik
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Ave, MC 2050, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Karie Stewart
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Ave, MC 2050, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Perpetua Goodall
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Ave, MC 2050, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Ernst Lengyel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Ave, MC 2050, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Sarosh Rana
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Ave, MC 2050, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
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Razdan S, Hedli L, Sigurdson K, Profit J, Morton C. Disparities and Equity Dashboards in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Qualitative Study of Expert Perspectives. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3002217. [PMID: 37461712 PMCID: PMC10350244 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3002217/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Objective Racial/ethnic disparities are well-described in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). We explore expert opinion on their root causes, potential solutions, and the ability of health equity dashboards to meaningfully address NICU disparities. Study Design We conducted 12 qualitative semi-structured interviews, purposively selecting a diverse group of neonatal experts. We used grounded theory to develop codes, shape interviews, and conduct analysis. Result Participants identified three sources of disparity: interpersonal bias, care process barriers, and social determinants of health, particularly as they affect parental engagement in the NICU. Proposed solutions included racial/cultural concordance, bolstering hospital-based resources, and policy interventions. Health equity dashboards were viewed as useful but limited because clinical metrics do not account for many of the aforementioned sources of disparities. Conclusion Equity dashboards serve as a motivational starting point for quality improvement; future iterations may require novel, qualitative data sources to identify underlying etiologies of NICU disparities.
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Menda N, Edwards E. Measuring Equity for Quality Improvement. Clin Perinatol 2023; 50:531-543. [PMID: 37201995 DOI: 10.1016/j.clp.2023.01.010] [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: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Applying an equity lens to quality improvement (QI) by collecting, reviewing, and using data that measure health disparities helps identify whether QI interventions improve outcomes evenly and equally across the population or have a greater impact in an advantaged or disadvantaged group. Methodological issues inherent in measuring disparities include appropriately selecting data sources; ensuring reliability and validity of equity data; choosing a suitable comparison group; and understanding between-group variation. The integration and utilization of QI techniques to promote equity is dependent on meaningful measurement to develop targeted interventions and provide a means of ongoing real-time assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Menda
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin, 202 South Park Street, McConnell Hall, 4th Floor, Madison, WI 53715, USA.
| | - Erika Edwards
- Vermont Oxford Network, Burlington, VT 05401, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Robert Larner, MD, College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA; Department of Mathematics and Statistics, College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
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Masters RK, Tilstra AM, Simon DH, Coleman-Minahan K. Differences in Determinants: Racialized Obstetric Care and Increases in U.S. State Labor Induction Rates. JOURNAL OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR 2023; 64:174-191. [PMID: 37098856 PMCID: PMC10848243 DOI: 10.1177/00221465231165284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Induction of labor (IOL) rates in the United States have nearly tripled since 1990. We examine official U.S. birth records to document increases in states' IOL rates among pregnancies to Black, Latina, and White women. We test if the increases are associated with changes in demographic characteristics and risk factors among states' racial-ethnic childbearing populations. Among pregnancies to White women, increases in state IOL rates are strongly associated with changes in risk factors among White childbearing populations. However, the rising IOL rates among pregnancies to Black and Latina women are not due to changing factors in their own populations but are instead driven by changing factors among states' White childbearing populations. The results suggest systemic racism may be shaping U.S. obstetric care whereby care is not "centered at the margins" but is instead responsive to characteristics in states' White populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan K. Masters
- University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- University of Colorado Population Center, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Andrea M. Tilstra
- University of Colorado Population Center, Boulder, CO, USA
- Oxford University, Oxford, UK
| | - Daniel H. Simon
- University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- University of Colorado Population Center, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Kate Coleman-Minahan
- University of Colorado Population Center, Boulder, CO, USA
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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27
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Sullivan BA, Doshi A, Chernyavskiy P, Husain A, Binai A, Sahni R, Fairchild KD, Moorman JR, Travers CP, Vesoulis ZA. Neighborhood Deprivation and Association With Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Mortality and Morbidity for Extremely Premature Infants. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2311761. [PMID: 37166800 PMCID: PMC10176121 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.11761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Socioeconomic status affects pregnancy and neurodevelopment, but its association with hospital outcomes among premature infants is unknown. The Area Deprivation Index (ADI) is a validated measure of neighborhood disadvantage that uses US Census Bureau data on income, educational level, employment, and housing quality. Objective To determine whether ADI is associated with neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) mortality and morbidity in extremely premature infants. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cohort study was performed at 4 level IV NICUs in the US Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and South regions. Non-Hispanic White and Black infants with gestational age of less than 29 weeks and born between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2020, were included in the analysis. Addresses were converted to census blocks, identified by Federal Information Processing Series codes, to link residences to national ADI percentiles. Exposures ADI, race, birth weight, sex, and outborn status. Main Outcomes and Measures In the primary outcome, the association between ADI and NICU mortality was analyzed using bayesian logistic regression adjusted for race, birth weight, outborn status, and sex. Risk factors were considered significant if the 95% credible intervals excluded zero. In the secondary outcome, the association between ADI and NICU morbidities, including late-onset sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), were also analyzed. Results A total of 2765 infants with a mean (SD) gestational age of 25.6 (1.7) weeks and mean (SD) birth weight of 805 (241) g were included in the analysis. Of these, 1391 (50.3%) were boys, 1325 (47.9%) reported Black maternal race, 498 (18.0%) died before NICU discharge, 692 (25.0%) developed sepsis or NEC, and 353 (12.8%) had severe IVH. In univariate analysis, higher median ADI was found among Black compared with White infants (77 [IQR, 45-93] vs 57 [IQR, 32-77]; P < .001), those who died before NICU discharge vs survived (71 [IQR, 45-89] vs 64 [IQR, 36-86]), those with late-onset sepsis or NEC vs those without (68 [IQR, 41-88] vs 64 [IQR, 35-86]), and those with severe IVH vs those without (69 [IQR, 44-90] vs 64 [IQR, 36-86]). In a multivariable bayesian logistic regression model, lower birth weight, higher ADI, and male sex were risk factors for mortality (95% credible intervals excluded zero), while Black race and outborn status were not. The ADI was also identified as a risk factor for sepsis or NEC and severe IVH. Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this cohort study of extremely preterm infants admitted to 4 NICUs in different US geographic regions suggest that ADI was a risk factor for mortality and morbidity after adjusting for multiple covariates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brynne A. Sullivan
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville
| | - Ayush Doshi
- currently a medical student at University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville
| | - Pavel Chernyavskiy
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville
| | - Ameena Husain
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Alexandra Binai
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Rakesh Sahni
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
| | - Karen D. Fairchild
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
| | - J. Randall Moorman
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville
| | - Colm P. Travers
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham
| | - Zachary A. Vesoulis
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri
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Sferra SR, Salvi PS, Penikis AB, Weller JH, Canner JK, Guo M, Engwall-Gill AJ, Rhee DS, Collaco JM, Keiser AM, Solomon DG, Kunisaki SM. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Outcomes Among Newborns with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2310800. [PMID: 37115544 PMCID: PMC10148194 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.10800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance There is some data to suggest that racial and ethnic minority infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) have poorer clinical outcomes. Objective To determine what patient- and institutional-level factors are associated with racial and ethnic differences in CDH mortality. Design, Setting, and Participants Multicenter cohort study of 49 US children's hospitals using the Pediatric Health Information System database from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2020. Participants were patients with CDH admitted on day of life 0 who underwent surgical repair. Patient race and ethnicity were guardian-reported vs hospital assigned as Black, Hispanic (White or Black), or White. Data were analyzed from August 2021 to March 2022. Exposures Patient race and ethnicity: (1) White vs Black and (2) White vs Hispanic; and institutional-level diversity (as defined by the percentage of Black and Hispanic patients with CDH at each hospital): (1) 30% or less, (2) 31% to 40%, and (3) more than 40%. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcomes were in-hospital and 60-day mortality. The study hypothesized that hospitals managing a more racially and ethnically diverse population of patients with CDH would be associated with lower mortality among Black and Hispanic infants. Results Among 1565 infants, 188 (12%), 306 (20%), and 1071 (68%) were Black, Hispanic, and White, respectively. Compared with White infants, Black infants had significantly lower gestational ages (mean [SD], White: 37.6 [2] weeks vs Black: 36.6 [3] weeks; difference, 1 week; 95% CI for difference, 0.6-1.4; P < .001), lower birthweights (White: 3.0 [1.0] kg vs Black: 2.7 [1.0] kg; difference, 0.3 kg; 95% CI for difference, 0.2-0.4; P < .001), and higher extracorporeal life support use (White: 316 patients [30%] vs Black: 69 patients [37%]; χ21 = 3.9; P = .05). Black infants had higher 60-day (White: 99 patients [9%] vs Black: 29 patients [15%]; χ21 = 6.7; P = .01) and in-hospital (White: 133 patients [12%] vs Black: 40 patients [21%]; χ21 = 10.6; P = .001) mortality . There were no mortality differences in Hispanic patients compared with White patients. On regression analyses, institutional diversity of 31% to 40% in Black patients (hazard ratio [HR], 0.17; 95% CI, 0.04-0.78; P = .02) and diversity greater than 40% in Hispanic patients (HR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.15-0.89; P = .03) were associated with lower mortality without altering outcomes in White patients. Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study of 1565 who underwent surgical repair patients with CDH, Black infants had higher 60-day and in-hospital mortality after adjusting for disease severity. Hospitals treating a more racially and ethnically diverse patient population were associated with lower mortality in Black and Hispanic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby R. Sferra
- Division of General Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Pooja S. Salvi
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Annalise B. Penikis
- Division of General Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jennine H. Weller
- Division of General Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Joseph K. Canner
- Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Matthew Guo
- Division of General Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Abigail J. Engwall-Gill
- Division of General Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Daniel S. Rhee
- Division of General Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Joseph M. Collaco
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Amaris M. Keiser
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Daniel G. Solomon
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Shaun M. Kunisaki
- Division of General Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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Racial Disparities in Breastmilk Receipt and Extremely Low Gestational Age Neonatal Morbidities in an Asian Pacific Islander Population. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2023; 10:952-960. [PMID: 35297496 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-022-01283-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Racial disparities in breastmilk provision and neonatal morbidities of extreme prematurity have been documented in previous studies but are not as well-documented in Asian and Pacific Islander (API) infants. The objectives of this study were to evaluate a predominantly API neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) population for racial disparities in (1) the receipt of breastmilk within 24 h of admission and at discharge and (2) neonatal morbidities among infants ≤ 28 weeks gestational age. METHODS A retrospective chart review of 2528 infants from 2018 to 2020 born at the largest level 3 NICU in Honolulu, Hawai'i, was conducted. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed on NICU outcomes to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS Native Hawaiian (NH) (aOR 0.73 [0.54, 0.98]), Pacific Islander (PI) (aOR 0.57 [0.41, 0.79]), and Filipino infants (aOR 0.66 [0.49, 0.89]) were less likely to receive breastmilk at discharge compared to Asian infants. PI infants were also more likely to experience necrotizing enterocolitis (aOR 7.89 [1.07, 58.10]) and intraventricular hemorrhage (aOR 3.86 [1.15, 13.02]) compared to Asian infants. CONCLUSION In a predominantly API population, disparities in breastmilk receipt and neonatal morbidities exist among NH, PI, and Filipino infants in the NICU. Our findings call for better understanding of the underlying inequities to guide directed efforts, including standardization of care through staff trainings on implicit biases and trauma-informed care, as well as provision of culturally sensitive education and lactation support for these patients.
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Smith MA, Steurer MA, Mahendra M, Zinter MS, Keller RL. Sociodemographic factors associated with tracheostomy and mortality in bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Pediatr Pulmonol 2023; 58:1237-1246. [PMID: 36700394 PMCID: PMC10122507 DOI: 10.1002/ppul.26328] [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: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We sought to investigate how race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status relate to tracheostomy insertion and post-tracheostomy mortality among infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). METHODS The Vizient Clinical Database/Resource Manager was queried to identify infants born ≤32 weeks with BPD admitted to US hospitals from January 2012 to December 2020. Markers of socioeconomic status were linked to patient records from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Social Determinants of Health Database. Regression models were used to assess trends in annual tracheostomy insertion rate and odds of tracheostomy insertion and post-tracheostomy mortality, adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical factors. RESULTS There were 40,021 ex-premature infants included in the study, 1614 (4.0%) of whom received a tracheostomy. Tracheostomy insertion increased from 2012 to 2017 (3.1%-4.1%), but decreased from 2018 to 2020 (3.3%-1.6%). Non-Hispanic Black infants demonstrated a 25% higher odds (aOR 1.25, 1.09-1.43) and Hispanic infants demonstrated a 20% lower odds (aOR 0.80, 0.65-0.96) of tracheostomy insertion compared with non-Hispanic White infants. Patients receiving public insurance had increased odds of tracheostomy insertion (aOR 1.15, 1.03-1.30), but there was no relation between other metrics of socioeconomic status and tracheostomy insertion within our cohort. In-hospital mortality among the tracheostomy-dependent was 14.1% and was not associated with sociodemographic factors. CONCLUSIONS Disparities in tracheostomy insertion are not accounted for by differences in socioeconomic status or the presence of additional neonatal morbidities. Post-tracheostomy mortality does not demonstrate the same relationships. Further investigation is needed to explore the source and potential mitigators of the identified disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Smith
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Martina A Steurer
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Malini Mahendra
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Matt S Zinter
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Roberta L Keller
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
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O'Shea TM, McGrath M, Aschner JL, Lester B, Santos HP, Marsit C, Stroustrup A, Emmanuel C, Hudak M, McGowan E, Patel S, Fry RC. Environmental influences on child health outcomes: cohorts of individuals born very preterm. Pediatr Res 2023; 93:1161-1176. [PMID: 35948605 PMCID: PMC9363858 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-022-02230-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
The National Institutes of Health's Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program was designed to address solution-oriented research questions about the links between children's early life environment and their risks of pre-, peri-, and post-natal complications, asthma, obesity, neurodevelopmental disorders, and positive health. Children born very preterm are at increased risk for many of the outcomes on which ECHO focuses, but the contributions of environmental factors to this risk are not well characterized. Three ECHO cohorts consist almost exclusively of individuals born very preterm. Data provided to ECHO from cohorts can be used to address hypotheses about (1) differential risks of chronic health and developmental conditions between individuals born very preterm and those born at term; (2) health disparities across social determinants of health; and (3) mechanisms linking early-life exposures and later-life outcomes among individuals born very preterm. IMPACT: The National Institutes of Health's Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes Program is conducting solution-oriented research on the links between children's environment and health. Three ECHO cohorts comprise study participants born very preterm; these cohorts have enrolled, to date, 1751 individuals born in 14 states in the U.S. in between April 2002 and March 2020. Extensive data are available on early-life environmental exposures and child outcomes related to neurodevelopment, asthma, obesity, and positive health. Data from ECHO preterm cohorts can be used to address questions about the combined effects of preterm birth and environmental exposures on child health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Michael O'Shea
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Monica McGrath
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Judy L Aschner
- Department of Pediatrics, Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Nutley, NJ, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Barry Lester
- Department of Pediatrics, Women & Infants Hospital, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Women & Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Hudson P Santos
- Biobehavioral Laboratory, School of Nursing, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Carmen Marsit
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Annemarie Stroustrup
- Departments of Pediatrics and Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra, Northwell Health, Cohen Children's Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY, USA
| | - Crisma Emmanuel
- Biobehavioral Laboratory, School of Nursing, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Mark Hudak
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine - Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Elisabeth McGowan
- Women & Infants Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Simran Patel
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Rebecca C Fry
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Abstract
Long-standing health disparities in maternal reproductive health, infant morbidity and mortality, and long-term developmental outcomes are rooted in a foundation of structural racism. Social determinants of health profoundly affect reproductive health outcomes of Black and Hispanic women disproportionately; they have higher rates of death during pregnancy and preterm birth. Their infants are also more likely to be cared for in poorer quality neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), receive poorer quality of NICU care, and are less likely to be referred to an appropriate high-risk NICU follow-up program. Interventions that mitigate the impact of racism will help to eliminate health disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvette R Johnson
- Texas Christian University, Burnett School of Medicine, Cook Children's Medical Center, N.E.S.T. Developmental Follow-up Clinic, 1500 Cooper Street, Fort Worth, TX 76104, USA.
| | - Charleta Guillory
- Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Section of Neonatology, 6621 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sonia Imaizumi
- Newtown Square, MultiPlan.com, 18 Campus Boulevard, Suite 200, Newtown Square, PA 19073, USA
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Salazar EG, Handley SC, Greenberg LT, Edwards EM, Lorch SA. Association Between Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Type and Quality of Care in Moderate and Late Preterm Infants. JAMA Pediatr 2023; 177:278-285. [PMID: 36648939 PMCID: PMC9857785 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.5213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Importance A higher level of care improves outcomes in extremely and very preterm infants, yet the impact of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) level on moderate and late preterm (MLP) care quality is unknown. Objective To examine the association between NICU type and care quality in MLP (30-36 weeks' gestation) and extremely and very preterm (25-29 weeks' gestation) infants. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study was a prospective analysis of 433 814 premature infants born in 465 US hospitals between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, without anomalies and who survived more than 12 hours and were transferred no more than once. Data were from the Vermont Oxford Network all NICU admissions database. Exposures NICU types were defined as units with ventilation restrictions without surgery (type A with restrictions, similar to American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP] level 2 NICUs), without surgery (type A) and with surgery not requiring cardiac bypass (type B, similar to AAP level 3 NICUs), and with all surgery (type C, similar to AAP level 4 NICUs). Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was gestational age (GA)-specific composite quality measures using Baby-Measure of Neonatal Intensive Care Outcomes Research (Baby-MONITOR) for extremely and very preterm infants and an adapted MLP quality measure for MLP infants. Secondary outcomes were individual component measures of each scale. Composite scores were standardized observed minus expected scores, adjusted for patient characteristics, averaged, and expressed with a mean of 0 and SD of 1. Between May 2021 and October 2022, Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare scores by NICU type. Results Among the 376 219 MLP (204 181 [54.3%] male, 172 038 [45.7%] female; mean [SD] GA, 34.2 [1.7] weeks) and 57 595 extremely and very preterm (30 173 [52.4%] male, 27 422 [47.6%] female; mean [SD] GA, 27.7 [1.4] weeks) infants included, 6.6% received care in type A NICUs with restrictions, 29.3% in type A NICUs without restrictions, 39.7% in type B NICUs, and 24.4% in type C NICUs. The MLP infants had lower MLP-QM scores in type C NICUs (median [IQR]: type A with restrictions, 0.4 [-0.1 to 0.8]; type A, 0.4 [-0.4 to 0.9]; type B, 0.1 [-0.7 to 0.7]; type C, -0.7 [-1.6 to 0.4]; P < .001). No significant differences were found in extremely and very preterm Baby-MONITOR scores by NICU type. In type C NICUs, MLP infants had lower scores in no extreme length of stay and change-in-weight z score. Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study, composite quality scores were lower for MLP infants in type C NICUs, whereas extremely and very preterm composite quality scores were similar across NICU types. Policies facilitating care for MLP infants at NICUs with less complex subspecialty services may improve care quality delivered to this prevalent, at-risk population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth G. Salazar
- Division of Neonatology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Sara C. Handley
- Division of Neonatology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Lucy T. Greenberg
- Vermont Oxford Network, Burlington, Vermont
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Vermont, Burlington
| | - Erika M. Edwards
- Vermont Oxford Network, Burlington, Vermont
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Vermont, Burlington
- Department of Pediatrics, The Robert Larner, MD College of Medicine, The University of Vermont, Burlington
| | - Scott A. Lorch
- Division of Neonatology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
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Currie ER, Wolfe J, Boss R, Johnston EE, Paine C, Perna SJ, Buckingham S, McKillip KM, Li P, Dionne-Odom JN, Ejem D, Morvant A, Nichols C, Bakitas MA. Patterns of Pediatric Palliative and End-of-Life Care in Neonatal Intensive Care Patients in the Southern U.S. J Pain Symptom Manage 2023; 65:532-540. [PMID: 36801354 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2023.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Despite high rates of mortality among infants in the Southern U.S., little is known about the timing of pediatric palliative care (PPC), the intensity of end-of-life care, and whether there are differences among sociodemographic characteristics. OBJECTIVES To describe PPC patterns and treatment intensity during the last 48 hours of life among neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patients in the Southern U.S. who received specialized PPC. METHODS Medical record abstraction of infant decedents who received PPC consultation in two NICUs (in Alabama and Mississippi) from 2009 to 2017 (n = 195) including clinical characteristics, palliative and end-of-life care characteristics, patterns of PPC, and intensive medical treatments in the last 48 hours of life. RESULTS The sample was racially (48.2% Black) and geographically (35.4% rural) diverse. Most infants died after withdrawal of life-sustaining interventions (58%) and had do not attempt resuscitation orders documented (75.9%); very few infants enrolled in hospice (6.2%). Initial PPC consult occurred a median of 13 days after admission and a median of 17 days before death. Infants with a primary diagnosis of genetic or congenital anomaly received earlier PPC consultation (P = 0.02) compared to other diagnoses. In the last 48 hours of life, NICU patients received intensive interventions including mechanical ventilation (81.5%), CPR (27.7%) and surgeries or invasive procedures (25.1%). Black infants were more likely to receive CPR compared to White infants (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION Overall, PPC consultation occurred late in NICU hospitalizations, infants received high-intensity medical interventions in the last 48 hours of life, and there are disparities in intensity of treatment interventions at end of life. Further research is needed to explore if these patterns of care reflect parent preferences and goal concordance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin R Currie
- School of Nursing (E.R.C.), University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1701 University Blvd., Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
| | - Joanne Wolfe
- Department of Pediatrics (J.W.), Boston, USA; Harvard Medical School
| | - Renee Boss
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (R.B.)
| | - Emily E Johnston
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine (E.E.J.), Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
| | | | - Samuel J Perna
- University of Alabama at Birmingham (S,J.P.), Department of Medicine, Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care
| | - Susan Buckingham
- University of Alabama at Birmingham (S.B.), Palliative and Hospice Medicine
| | | | - Peng Li
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing (P.L., J.N.O., D.E., M.A.B.)
| | - James N Dionne-Odom
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing (P.L., J.N.O., D.E., M.A.B.)
| | - Deborah Ejem
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing (P.L., J.N.O., D.E., M.A.B.)
| | | | | | - Marie A Bakitas
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing (P.L., J.N.O., D.E., M.A.B.)
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Nicolas CT, Carter SR, Martin CA. Impact of maternal factors, environmental factors, and race on necrotizing enterocolitis. Semin Perinatol 2023; 47:151688. [PMID: 36572622 DOI: 10.1016/j.semperi.2022.151688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a complex disease with a multifactorial etiology. As the leading cause of intestinal morbidity and mortality among premature infants, many resources are being dedicated to neonatal care and molecular targets in the newborn intestine. However, NEC is heavily influenced by maternal and perinatal factors as well. Given its nature, preventive approaches to NEC are more likely to improve outcomes than new treatment strategies. Therefore, this review focuses on maternal, environmental, and racial factors associated with the development of NEC, with an emphasis on those that may be modifiable to decrease the incidence of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara T Nicolas
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Stewart R Carter
- Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Colin A Martin
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States; Department of General and Thoracic Surgery, Children's of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, United States.
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Recognizing Our Biases, Understanding the Evidence, and Responding Equitably: Application of the Socioecological Model to Reduce Racial Disparities in the NICU. Adv Neonatal Care 2023; 23:31-39. [PMID: 36700679 DOI: 10.1097/anc.0000000000000987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Implicit bias permeates beliefs and actions both personally and professionally and results in negative health outcomes for people of color-even in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). NICU clinicians may naïvely and incorrectly assume that NICU families receive unbiased care. Existing evidence establishing associations between sex, race, and neonatal outcomes may perpetuate the tendency to deny racial bias in NICU practice. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION Using the socioecological model as a framework, this article outlines evidence for racial health disparities in the NICU on multiple levels-societal, community, institutional, interpersonal, and individual. Using current evidence and recommendations from the National Association of Neonatal Nurses Position Statement on "Racial Bias in the NICU," appropriate interventions and equitable responses of the NICU clinician are explored. RESULTS Based on current evidence, clinicians should reject the notion that the social construct of race is the root cause for certain neonatal morbidities. Instead, clinicians should focus on the confluence of medical and social factors contributing to each individual infant's progress. This critical distinction is not only important for clinicians employing life-saving interventions, but also for those who provide routine care, developmental care, and family education-as these biases can and do shape clinical interactions. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE AND RESEARCH Healthcare practitioners have an ethical and moral responsibility to maintain up-to-date knowledge of new evidence that impacts our clinical practice. The evidence demonstrates the importance of recognizing the enduring role of racism in the health and well-being of people of color and the need to adjust care accordingly.
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Cordova-Ramos EG, Melvin P, Kalluri NS, Peña MM, Belfort MB, Parker MG. Association of Primary Language with Provision of Mother's Milk Among Very-Low-Birthweight Infants in Massachusetts. Breastfeed Med 2023; 18:116-123. [PMID: 36576788 PMCID: PMC9969892 DOI: 10.1089/bfm.2022.0150] [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] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Background: Racial/ethnic inequities in mother's milk provision for hospitalized preterm infants persist. The extent to which primary language contributes to these racial/ethnic inequities is unknown. Objective: Examine associations of maternal race/ethnicity and primary language with (1) any/exclusive mother's milk at hospital discharge and (2) the time to cessation of mother's milk provision during the hospitalization. Methods: We examined 652 mother/very-low-birthweight (VLBW) infant dyads at 9 level 3 neonatal intensive care units in Massachusetts from January 2017 to December 2018. We abstracted maternal race/ethnicity and language from medical records, and examined English and non-English-speaking non-Hispanic White (NHW), non-Hispanic Black (NHB), and Hispanic mothers of any race. We examined associations of race/ethnicity and language with (1) any/exclusive mother's milk at discharge (yes/no) using mixed-effects logistic regression and (2) cessation of mother's milk during the hospitalization using cox proportional hazard models, adjusting for gestational age, birthweight, and accounting for clustering by plurality and hospital. Results: Fifty-three percent were English-speaking NHW, 22% English-speaking NHB, 4% non-English-speaking NHB, 14% English-speaking Hispanic, and 7% non-English-speaking Hispanic. Compared with English-speaking NHW, NHB mothers (English adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.28 [0.17, 0.44]; and non-English-speaking aOR 0.55 [0.19, 0.98]), and non-English-speaking Hispanic mothers (aOR 0.29 [0.21, 0.87]) had lower odds of any mother's milk at discharge. In time-to-event analyses, non-English-speaking Hispanic (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 4.37 [2.20, 6.02]) and English-speaking NHB mothers (aHR 3.91 [1.41, 7.61] had the earliest cessation of mother's milk provision. Conclusion: In Massachusetts, maternal primary language was associated with inequities in mother's milk provision for VLBW infants with a differential effect for NHB and Hispanic mothers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika G. Cordova-Ramos
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Patrice Melvin
- Office of Health Equity and Inclusion, and Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nikita S. Kalluri
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michelle-Marie Peña
- Division of Neonatal Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Mandy B. Belfort
- Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Margaret G. Parker
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Fraiman YS, Edwards EM, Horbar JD, Mercier CE, Soll RF, Litt JS. Racial Inequity in High-Risk Infant Follow-Up Among Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants. Pediatrics 2023; 151:e2022057865. [PMID: 36594226 PMCID: PMC10696436 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2022-057865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES High-risk infant follow-up programs (HRIFs) are a recommended standard of care for all extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants to help mitigate known risks to long-term health and development. However, participation is variable, with known racial and ethnic inequities, though hospital-level drivers of inequity remain unknown. We conducted a study using a large, multicenter cohort of ELBW infants to explore within- and between-hospital inequities in HRIF participation. METHODS Vermont Oxford Network collected data on 19 503 ELBW infants born between 2006 and 2017 at 58 US hospitals participating in the ELBW Follow-up Project. Primary outcome was evaluation in HRIF at 18 to 24 months' corrected age. The primary predictor was infant race and ethnicity, defined as maternal race (non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, Asian American, Native American, other). We used generalized linear mixed models to test within- and between-hospital variation and inequities in HRIF participation. RESULTS Among the 19 503 infants, 44.7% (interquartile range 31.1-63.3) were seen in HRIF. Twenty six percent of the total variation in HRIF participation rates was due to between-hospital variation. In adjusted models, Black infants had significantly lower odds of HRIF participation compared with white infants (adjusted odds ratio, 0.73; 95% confidence interval, 0.64-0.83). The within-hospital effect of race varied significantly between hospitals. CONCLUSIONS There are significant racial inequities in HRIF participation, with notable variation within and between hospitals. Further study is needed to identify potential hospital-level targets for interventions to reduce this inequity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yarden S. Fraiman
- Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Erika M. Edwards
- Vermont Oxford Network, Burlington, Vermont
- Department of Pediatrics, The Robert Larner, MD, College of Medicine, The University of Vermont and the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital, Burlington, Vermont
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, College of Engineering and Mathematical Studies, The University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Jeffrey D. Horbar
- Vermont Oxford Network, Burlington, Vermont
- Department of Pediatrics, The Robert Larner, MD, College of Medicine, The University of Vermont and the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Charles E. Mercier
- Department of Pediatrics, The Robert Larner, MD, College of Medicine, The University of Vermont and the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Roger F. Soll
- Vermont Oxford Network, Burlington, Vermont
- Department of Pediatrics, The Robert Larner, MD, College of Medicine, The University of Vermont and the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Jonathan S. Litt
- Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
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Eidelman AI. Cultural Variations in the Care and Support of Breastfeeding. Breastfeed Med 2023; 18:81-82. [PMID: 36800332 DOI: 10.1089/bfm.2023.29234.editorial] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Arthur I Eidelman
- -Arthur I. Eidelman, MD, FABM, Editor-in-Chief, Breastfeeding Medicine
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Racial and Ethnic Composition of Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Faculty and Students in the United States. Adv Neonatal Care 2023; 23:132-139. [PMID: 36607336 DOI: 10.1097/anc.0000000000001045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neonatal nurse practitioners have a strong presence in the neonatal intensive care unit and are primed to lead efforts to induce change related to health disparities. Underrepresented minority nurse practitioners offer valuable perspectives in the care of underrepresented minority patients. However, there remains a current racial and ethnic discordance between neonatal providers and patients. Efforts to eliminate health disparities must begin before nursing school. The current racial and ethnic composition of neonatal nurse practitioner faculty in comparison to students in the United States is unknown. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to determine the racial and ethnic composition of neonatal nurse practitioner faculty and students in the United States and contrast this data with available data for the racial and ethnic composition of the neonatal intensive care unit patient population. METHODS This cross-sectional study used a nonexperimental survey to describe the racial and ethnic composition of neonatal nurse practitioner faculty and students in the United States. RESULTS There was no significant difference in the racial and ethnic composition between neonatal nurse practitioner faculty and students. There were significant differences for all race distributions between neonatal nurse practitioner students and neonatal intensive care unit admissions. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE AND RESEARCH The discordance between neonatal nurse practitioner students and neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit is important in addressing disparities and begins before nursing school. Identification of barriers and strategies for recruitment and retention of underrepresented minority nursing students and faculty is needed. VIDEO ABSTRACT AVAILABLE AT https://journals.lww.com/advancesinneonatalcare/pages/video.aspx?v=62.
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Ajayi KV, Garney WR. What Black Mothers with Preterm Infants Want for Their Mental Health Care: A Qualitative Study. WOMEN'S HEALTH REPORTS (NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y.) 2023; 4:39-47. [PMID: 36893324 PMCID: PMC9986014 DOI: 10.1089/whr.2022.0088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Title "I think that some culturally sensitive mental health information could have been provided": What Black mothers with preterm infants want for their mental health care: A qualitative study. Background In the United States, preterm birth (PTB) rates in Black women are 50% higher than in non-Hispanic White and Hispanic mothers. Existing discriminatory sociohistorical and contemporary health care practices have been linked to the alarmingly higher rates of PTB among Black families. While it is well-known that PTB is associated with increased mental health (MH) problems, Black women experience elevated MH burdens due to inequities along the care continuum in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Consequently, culturally responsive MH care holds promises to achieve maternal MH equity. This study aimed to explore the available MH services and resources in the NICU for Black mothers with preterm infants. We also sought to discover potential recommendations and strategies for MH programs through a cultural lens. Materials and Methods Semistructured interviews were conducted with Black mothers with preterm infants using a Grounded Theory approach embedded in the Black feminist theory. Results Eleven mothers who gave birth to a preterm infant between 2008 and 2021 participated in this study. Eight women reported not receiving MH services or resources in the NICU. Interestingly, of the three mothers who received MH referrals/services, two did so one-year postbirth and did not utilize the services. Three main themes emerged: stress and the NICU experience, coping mechanisms, and culturally appropriate MH care with diverse providers are needed. Overall, our finds suggest that MH care is not prioritized in the NICU. Conclusion Black mothers with preterm infants encounter numerous negative and stressful experiences that exacerbate their MH during and beyond the NICU. However, MH services in the NICU and follow-up services are scarce. Mothers in this study endorsed creating culturally appropriate MH programs that addresses their unique intersections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kobi V Ajayi
- Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.,Laboratory for Community Health Evaluation and Systems Science, Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Whitney R Garney
- Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.,Laboratory for Community Health Evaluation and Systems Science, Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
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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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Karvonen KL, Goronga F, McKenzie-Sampson S, Rogers EE. Racial disparities in the development of comorbid conditions after preterm birth: A narrative review. Semin Perinatol 2022; 46:151657. [PMID: 36153273 DOI: 10.1016/j.semperi.2022.151657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Despite recognition and attempts to reduce racial disparities in perinatal outcomes, Black infants are still disproportionately represented among those who are born preterm. Postnatal investigations of racial disparities in comorbidities and outcomes after preterm birth are increasing, although their results and interpretations are conflicting. In the present review, we 1.) identify important methodological limitations of that literature 2.) summarize the conflicting literature investigating racial disparities, specifically Black-white differences, in postnatal comorbidities and outcomes after preterm birth 3.) describe mechanisms by which racism operates to contextualize our understanding to inform future work to actively reduce disparities in preterm birth and subsequently, its complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla L Karvonen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States; California Preterm Birth Initiative, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.
| | - Faith Goronga
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Safyer McKenzie-Sampson
- California Preterm Birth Initiative, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Elizabeth E Rogers
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States; California Preterm Birth Initiative, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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Profit J, Edwards EM, Pursley D. Getting to health equity in NICU care in the USA and beyond. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 2022:archdischild-2021-323533. [PMID: 36379698 DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2021-323533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Differences in race/ethnicity, gender, income and other social factors have long been associated with disparities in health, illness and premature death. Although the terms 'health differences' and 'health disparities' are often used interchangeably, health disparities has recently been reserved to describe worse health in socially disadvantaged populations, particularly members of disadvantaged racial/ethnic groups and the poor within a racial/ethnic group. Infants receiving disparate care based on race/ethnicity, immigration status, language proficiency, or social class may be discomforting to healthcare workers who dedicate their lives to care for these patients. Recent literature, however, has documented differences in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) care quality that have contributed to racial and ethnic differences in mortality and significant morbidity. We examine the within-NICU and between-NICU mechanisms of disparate care and recommend approaches to address these disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochen Profit
- Perinatal Epidemiology and Health Outcomes Research Unit, Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA .,California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Erika M Edwards
- Vermont Oxford Network, Burlington, Vermont, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Robert Larner MD College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA.,Department of Mathematics and Statistics, College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA
| | - DeWayne Pursley
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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DeSisto CL, Okoroh EM, Kroelinger CD, Barfield WD. Summary of neonatal and maternal transport and reimbursement policies-a 5-year update. J Perinatol 2022; 42:1306-1311. [PMID: 35414123 PMCID: PMC10228283 DOI: 10.1038/s41372-022-01389-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the number of states with neonatal and maternal transport and reimbursement policies in 2019, compared with 2014. STUDY DESIGN We conducted a systematic review of web-based, publicly available information on neonatal and maternal transport policies for each state in 2019. Information was abstracted from rules, codes, licensure regulations, and planning and program documents, then summarized within two categories: transport and reimbursement policies. RESULT In 2019, 42 states had a policy for neonatal transport and 37 states had a policy for maternal transport, increasing by 8 and 7 states respectively. Further, 31 states had a reimbursement policy for neonatal transport and 11 states for maternal transport, increases of 1 state per category. Overall, the number of states with policies increased from 2014 to 2019. CONCLUSION The number of state neonatal and maternal transport policies increased; these policies may support provision of care at the most risk-appropriate facilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla L DeSisto
- Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Ekwutosi M Okoroh
- Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Charlan D Kroelinger
- Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Wanda D Barfield
- Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Chen X, Lu T, Gould J, Hintz SR, Lyell DJ, Xu X, Sie L, Rysavy M, Davis AS, Lee HC. Active Treatment of Infants Born at 22-25 Weeks of Gestation in California, 2011-2018. J Pediatr 2022; 249:67-74. [PMID: 35714966 PMCID: PMC9560960 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2022.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the rate and trend of active treatment in a population-based cohort of infants born at 22-25 weeks of gestation and to examine factors associated with active treatment. STUDY DESIGN This observational study evaluated 8247 infants born at 22-25 weeks of gestation at hospitals in the California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative between 2011 and 2018. Multivariable logistic regression was used to relate maternal demographic and prenatal factors, fetal characteristics, and hospital level of care to the primary outcome of active treatment. RESULTS Active treatment was provided to 6657 infants. The rate at 22 weeks was 19.4% and increased with each advancing week, and was significantly higher for infants born between days 4 and 6 at 22 or 23 weeks of gestation compared with those born between days 0 and 3 (26.2% and 78.3%, respectively, vs 14.1% and 65.9%, respectively; P < .001). The rate of active treatment at 23 weeks increased from 2011 to 2018 (from 64.9% to 83.4%; P < .0001) but did not change significantly at 22 weeks. Factors associated with increased odds of active treatment included maternal Hispanic ethnicity and Black race, preterm premature rupture of membranes, obstetrical bleeding, antenatal steroids, and cesarean delivery. Factors associated with decreased odds included lower gestational age and small for gestational age birth weight. CONCLUSIONS In California, active treatment rates at 23 weeks of gestation increased between 2011 and 2018, but rates at 22 weeks did not. At 22 and 23 weeks, rates increased during the latter part of the week. Several maternal and infant factors were associated with the likelihood of active treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuxin Chen
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA.
| | - Tianyao Lu
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
| | - Jeffrey Gould
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
| | - Susan R Hintz
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
| | - Deirdre J Lyell
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Obstetrics, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
| | - Xiao Xu
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Lillian Sie
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
| | - Matthew Rysavy
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA; Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX
| | - Alexis S Davis
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
| | - Henry C Lee
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
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Measuring quality of care in moderate and late preterm infants. J Perinatol 2022; 42:1294-1300. [PMID: 35354940 PMCID: PMC9522891 DOI: 10.1038/s41372-022-01377-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine quality measures for moderate and late preterm (MLP) infants. STUDY DESIGN By prospectively analyzing Vermont Oxford Network's all NICU admissions database, we adapted Baby-MONITOR, a composite quality measure for extremely/very preterm infants, for MLP infants. We examined correlations between the adapted MLP quality measure (MLP-QM) in MLP infants and Baby-MONITOR in extremely and very preterm infants. RESULT We studied 376,219 MLP (30-36 weeks GA) and 57,595 extremely/very preterm (25-29 weeks GA) infants from 465 U.S. hospitals born from 2016 to 2020. MLP-QM summary scores in MLP infants had weak correlation with Baby-MONITOR scores in extremely and very preterm infants (r = 0.47). There was weak correlation among survival (r = 0.19), no pneumothorax (r = 0.35), and no infection after 3 days (r = 0.45), but strong correlation among human milk at discharge (r = 0.79) and no hypothermia (r = 0.76). CONCLUSION Modest correlation among hospital care measures in two preterm populations suggests the need for MLP-specific care measures.
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Witt RE, Malcolm M, Colvin BN, Gill MR, Ofori J, Roy S, Lenze SN, Rogers CE, Colson ER. Racism and Quality of Neonatal Intensive Care: Voices of Black Mothers. Pediatrics 2022; 150:188766. [PMID: 35965288 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2022-056971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Black preterm infants are more likely to die than White preterm infants within the same NICU. Racism may lead to disparate quality of NICU care contributing to disparities in preterm infant health outcomes. The objective of our study was to understand Black mothers' perspectives of the impact of racism on the quality of care for Black preterm infants in the NICU and what might be done to address it. METHODS Using qualitative research methods, we conducted in-depth, semistructured interviews with 20 Black mothers of preterm infants in a single Level IV NICU 6 to 18 months after hospital discharge regarding experiences with disparate quality of NICU care. We developed themes iteratively and conducted interviews until thematic saturation was reached. RESULTS The majority of mothers believed that racism impacted the quality of NICU care and described examples of racism in the NICU at structural, institutional, and interpersonal levels. Mothers also provided ideas for interventions that would decrease racism and improve quality of NICU care for Black families, including increased Black representation, increased peer support, and improved staff education and training. CONCLUSIONS Black mothers of preterm infants experienced racism during NICU hospitalization that impacted the quality of care they received. Interventional studies directed toward mitigating these racial disparities may focus on addressing racism during the NICU period and should include input from Black stakeholders at all stages of design, implementation, and analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mia Malcolm
- Family Partners Program, BJC HealthCare/St Louis Children's Hospital, St Louis, Missouri
| | | | | | - Joel Ofori
- School of Medicine, Washington University, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Shireen Roy
- School of Medicine, Washington University, St Louis, Missouri
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Lakshmanan A, Rogers EE, Lu T, Gray E, Vernon L, Briscoe H, Profit J, Jocson MAL, Hintz SR. Disparities and Early Engagement Associated with the 18- to 36-Month High-Risk Infant Follow-Up Visit among Very Low Birthweight Infants in California. J Pediatr 2022; 248:30-38.e3. [PMID: 35597303 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2022.05.026] [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] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine follow-up rates for the high-risk infant follow-up (HRIF) visit at 18-36 months among infants with very low birthweights and identify factors associated with completion. STUDY DESIGN We completed a retrospective cohort study using linked California Perinatal Quality of Care Collaborative neonatal intensive care unit, California Perinatal Quality of Care Collaborative California Children's Services HRIF, and Vital Statistics Birth Cohort databases. We identified maternal, sociodemographic, neonatal, clinical, and HRIF program level factors associated with the 18- to 36-month follow-up using multivariable Poisson regression. RESULTS From 2010 to 2015, among 19 284 infants with very low birthweight expected to attend at least 1 visit at 18-36 months, 10 249 (53%) attended. On multivariable analysis, factors independently associated with attendance at an 18- to 36-month visit included estimated gestational age (relative risk [RR], 1.21; 95% CI, 1.15-1.26; <26 weeks vs ≥31 weeks), maternal education (RR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.06-1.12; college degree or more vs high school), distance from clinic (RR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.89-0.97; fourth quartile vs first quartile), and Black non-Hispanic race vs White race (RR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.84-0.92). However, completion of an initial HRIF visit within the first 12 months was the factor most strongly associated with completion of an 18- to 36-month visit (RR, 6.47; 95% CI, 5.91-7.08). CONCLUSIONS In a California very low birthweight cohort, maternal education, race, and distance from the clinic were associated with sustained HRIF participation, but attendance at a visit by 12 months was the most significantly associated factor. These findings highlight the importance of early engagement with all families to ensure equitable follow-through for children born preterm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwini Lakshmanan
- Fetal and Neonatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA; Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA; Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.
| | | | - Tianyao Lu
- California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative, Palo Alto, CA
| | - Erika Gray
- California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative, Palo Alto, CA
| | - Lelis Vernon
- Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative (PQC), Tampa, FL; Stanford University School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Palo Alto, CA
| | | | - Jochen Profit
- California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative, Palo Alto, CA; Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative (PQC), Tampa, FL
| | - Maria A L Jocson
- California Department of Health Care Services, California Children's Services, Sacramento, CA
| | - Susan R Hintz
- California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative, Palo Alto, CA; Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative (PQC), Tampa, FL
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Roberts JE, Berbert L, Chang J, Son MBF. Association of Race and Ethnicity With Medication Use for Pediatric Lupus in the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance Registry. ACR Open Rheumatol 2022; 4:954-963. [DOI: 10.1002/acr2.11494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jordan E. Roberts
- Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts
| | - Laura Berbert
- Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts
| | - Joyce Chang
- Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts
| | - Mary Beth F. Son
- Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts
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