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Dewidar O, McHale G, Al Zubaidi A, Bondok M, Abdelrazeq L, Huang J, Jearvis A, Aliyeva K, Alghamyan A, Jahel F, Greer-Smith R, Tufte J, Barker LC, Elmestekawy N, Sharp MK, Horsley T, Prats CJ, Jull J, Wolfenden L, Cuervo LG, Hardy BJ, Roberts JH, Ghogomu E, Obuku E, Owusu-Addo E, Nicholls SG, Mbuagbaw L, Funnell S, Shea B, Rizvi A, Tugwell P, Bhutta Z, Welch V, Melendez-Torres GJ. Motivations for investigating health inequities in observational epidemiology: a content analysis of 320 studies. J Clin Epidemiol 2024; 168:111283. [PMID: 38369078 DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2024.111283] [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: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To enhance equity in clinical and epidemiological research, it is crucial to understand researcher motivations for conducting equity-relevant studies. Therefore, we evaluated author motivations in a randomly selected sample of equity-relevant observational studies published during the COVID-19 pandemic. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING We searched MEDLINE for studies from 2020 to 2022, resulting in 16,828 references. We randomly selected 320 studies purposefully sampled across income setting (high vs low-middle-income), COVID-19 topic (vs non-COVID-19), and focus on populations experiencing inequities. Of those, 206 explicitly mentioned motivations which we analyzed thematically. We used discourse analysis to investigate the reasons behind emerging motivations. RESULTS We identified the following motivations: (1) examining health disparities, (2) tackling social determinants to improve access, and (3) addressing knowledge gaps in health equity. Discourse analysis showed motivations stem from commitments to social justice and recognizing the importance of highlighting it in research. Other discourses included aspiring to improve health-care efficiency, wanting to understand cause-effect relationships, and seeking to contribute to an equitable evidence base. CONCLUSION Understanding researchers' motivations for assessing health equity can aid in developing guidance that tailors to their needs. We will consider these motivations in developing and sharing equity guidance to better meet researchers' needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar Dewidar
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
| | - Georgia McHale
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Ali Al Zubaidi
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; School of Medicine, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Mostafa Bondok
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Leenah Abdelrazeq
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; Department of Health Sciences, Carelton University, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Jimmy Huang
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Alyssa Jearvis
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Khadija Aliyeva
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Amjad Alghamyan
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Fatima Jahel
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | | | | | - Lucy C Barker
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Women's College Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Nour Elmestekawy
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Melissa K Sharp
- Department of General Practice, Health Research Board Centre for Primary Care Research, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Tanya Horsley
- Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Clara Juandro Prats
- Applied Health Research Center, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Janet Jull
- School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
| | - Luke Wolfenden
- Cochrane Public Health, School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Luis Gabriel Cuervo
- Department of Evidence and Intelligence for Action in Health, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), Washington, DC, USA; Department of Paediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, and Preventive Medicine, Doctoral School, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Billie-Jo Hardy
- Social and Behavioural Health Sciences, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Janet Hatchet Roberts
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Knowledge Translation and Health Technology Assessment in Health Equity, Ottawa, Canada
| | | | - Ekwaro Obuku
- Africa Centre for Systematic Reviews & Knowledge Translation, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Ebenezer Owusu-Addo
- Bureau of Integrated Rural Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Stuart G Nicholls
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Lawrence Mbuagbaw
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Sarah Funnell
- Department of Family Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada; Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Bev Shea
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Anita Rizvi
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Peter Tugwell
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada; School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zulfiqar Bhutta
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Centre for Excellence in Women and Child Health and Institute of Global Health and Development, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Vivian Welch
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Rose DK, Bentley L, Maity A, Maguire RL, Planchart A, Spasojevic I, Liu AJ, Thorp J, Hoyo C. Association between F2-isoprostanes and self-reported stressors in pregnant americans of African and European ancestry. Heliyon 2024; 10:e25578. [PMID: 38356491 PMCID: PMC10865309 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Poor birth outcomes such as preterm birth/delivery disproportionately affect African Americans compared to White individuals. Reasons for this disparity are likely multifactorial, and include prenatal psychosocial stressors, and attendant increased lipid peroxidation; however, empirical data linking psychosocial stressors during pregnancy to oxidative status are limited. Methods We used established scales to measure five psychosocial stressors. Maternal adverse childhood experiences, financial stress, social support, anxiety, and depression were measured among 50 African American and White pregnant women enrolled in the Stress and Health in Pregnancy cohort. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to measure biomarkers of oxidative stress (four urinary F2-isoprostane isomers), to estimate oxidative status. Linear regression models were used to evaluate associations between psychosocial stressors, prenatal oxidative status and preterm birth. Results After adjusting for maternal obesity, gestational diabetes, and cigarette smoking, African American women with higher oxidative status were more likely to report higher maternal adverse childhood experience scores (β = 0.16, se = 1.07, p-value = 0.024) and depression scores (β = 0.05, se = 0.02, p = 0.014). Higher oxidative status was also associated with lower gestational age at birth (β = -0.13, se = 0.06, p = 0.04) in this population. These associations were not apparent in Whites. However, none of the cross-product terms for race/ethnicity and social stressors reached statistical significance (p > 0.05). Conclusion While the small sample size limits inference, our novel data suggest that psychosocial stressors may contribute significantly to oxidative stress during pregnancy, and preterm birth or delivery African Americans. If replicated in larger studies, these findings would support oxidative stress reduction using established dietary or pharmacological approaches present a potential avenue to mitigate adverse effects of psychosocial stressors on birth outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah K. Rose
- Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Loren Bentley
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Arnab Maity
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Department of Statistics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Rachel L. Maguire
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Antonio Planchart
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Ivan Spasojevic
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Cancer Institute, PK/PD Core Laboratory, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Andy J. Liu
- Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - John Thorp
- Gillings School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Cathrine Hoyo
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
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Dunlop AL, Burjak M, Dean LT, Alshawabkeh AN, Avalos LA, Aschner JL, Breton CV, Charifson MA, Cordero J, Dabelea D, D’Sa V, Duarte CS, Elliott AJ, Eick SM, Ferrara A, Fichorova RN, Ganiban JM, Gern JE, Hedderson MM, Herbstman JB, Hipwell AE, Huddleston KC, Karagas M, Karr C, Kerver JM, Koinis-Mitchell D, Lyall K, Madan J, Marsit C, McEvoy CT, Meeker JD, Oken E, O’Shea TM, Padula AM, Sathyanarayana S, Schantz S, Schmidt RJ, Snowden J, Stanford JB, Weiss S, Wright RO, Wright RJ, Zhang X, McGrath M. Association of maternal education, neighborhood deprivation, and racial segregation with gestational age at birth by maternal race/ethnicity and United States Census region in the ECHO cohorts. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1165089. [PMID: 38098826 PMCID: PMC10719953 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1165089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In the United States, disparities in gestational age at birth by maternal race, ethnicity, and geography are theorized to be related, in part, to differences in individual- and neighborhood-level socioeconomic status (SES). Yet, few studies have examined their combined effects or whether associations vary by maternal race and ethnicity and United States Census region. Methods We assembled data from 34 cohorts in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program representing 10,304 participants who delivered a liveborn, singleton infant from 2000 through 2019. We investigated the combined associations of maternal education level, neighborhood deprivation index (NDI), and Index of Concentration at the Extremes for racial residential segregation (ICERace) on gestational weeks at birth using linear regression and on gestational age at birth categories (preterm, early term, post-late term relative to full term) using multinomial logistic regression. Results After adjustment for NDI and ICERace, gestational weeks at birth was significantly lower among those with a high school diploma or less (-0.31 weeks, 95% CI: -0.44, -0.18), and some college (-0.30 weeks, 95% CI: -0.42, -0.18) relative to a master's degree or higher. Those with a high school diploma or less also had an increased odds of preterm (aOR 1.59, 95% CI: 1.20, 2.10) and early term birth (aOR 1.26, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.51). In adjusted models, NDI quartile and ICERace quartile were not associated with gestational weeks at birth. However, higher NDI quartile (most deprived) associated with an increased odds of early term and late term birth, and lower ICERace quartile (least racially privileged) associated with a decreased odds of late or post-term birth. When stratifying by region, gestational weeks at birth was lower among those with a high school education or less and some college only among those living in the Northeast or Midwest. When stratifying by race and ethnicity, gestational weeks at birth was lower among those with a high school education or less only for the non-Hispanic White category. Conclusion In this study, maternal education was consistently associated with shorter duration of pregnancy and increased odds of preterm birth, including in models adjusted for NDI and ICERace.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne L. Dunlop
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Mohamad Burjak
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Lorraine T. Dean
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Akram N. Alshawabkeh
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lyndsay A. Avalos
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, United States
| | - Judy L. Aschner
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
- Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Nutley, NJ, United States
| | - Carrie V. Breton
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Mia A. Charifson
- Division of Epidemiology, New York University Langone Health Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jose Cordero
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Georgia College of Public Health, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Dana Dabelea
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Viren D’Sa
- Department of Pediatrics, Rhode Island Hospital and The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Cristiane S. Duarte
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Columbia University-New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Amy J. Elliott
- Avera Research Institute, Department of Pediatrics, University of South Dakota School of Medicine, Sioux Falls, SD, United States
| | - Stephanie M. Eick
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Assiamira Ferrara
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, United States
| | - Raina N. Fichorova
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jody M. Ganiban
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - James E. Gern
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Monique M. Hedderson
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, United States
| | - Julie B. Herbstman
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, United States
| | - Alison E. Hipwell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Kathi C. Huddleston
- College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
| | - Margaret Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Catherine Karr
- Departments of Pediatrics and Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Jean M. Kerver
- Departments of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Pediatrics and Human Development, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Daphne Koinis-Mitchell
- Department of Pediatrics, Rhode Island Hospital and The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Kristen Lyall
- AJ Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Juliette Madan
- Department of Epidemiology, Pediatrics and Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Carmen Marsit
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Cindy T. McEvoy
- Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - John D. Meeker
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Emily Oken
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, United States
| | - T. Michael O’Shea
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Amy M. Padula
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Sheela Sathyanarayana
- Departments of Pediatrics and Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Susan Schantz
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Rebecca J. Schmidt
- Department of Public Health Sciences, MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Jessica Snowden
- Departments of Pediatrics and Biostatistics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Joseph B. Stanford
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Scott Weiss
- Department of Medicine, Harvard School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Robert O. Wright
- Department of Pediatrics, The Kravis Children’s Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Rosalind J. Wright
- Department of Pediatrics, The Kravis Children’s Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Xueying Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, The Kravis Children’s Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Monica McGrath
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Buxton ILO, Asif H, Barnett SD. β3 Receptor Signaling in Pregnant Human Myometrium Suggests a Role for β3 Agonists as Tocolytics. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1005. [PMID: 37371585 DOI: 10.3390/biom13061005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Preterm labor leading to preterm birth is the leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality. At the present time, nothing can reliably halt labor once it begins. The knowledge that agonists of the β2 adrenergic receptor relax airway smooth muscle and are effective in the treatment of asthma led to the notion that β2 mimetics would prevent preterm birth by relaxing uterine smooth muscle. The activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase by β2 receptors is unable to provide meaningful tocolysis. The failure of β2 agonists such as ritodrine and terbutaline to prevent preterm birth suggests that the regulation of uterine smooth muscle is disparate from that of airway. Other smooth muscle quiescent-mediating molecules, such as nitric oxide, relax vascular smooth muscle in a cGMP-protein kinase G-dependent manner; however, nitric oxide activation of protein kinase G fails to explain the relaxation of the myometrium to nitric oxide. Moreover, nitric oxide-mediated relaxation is blunted in preterm labor, and thus, for this reason and because of the fall in maternal blood pressure, nitric oxide cannot be employed as a tocolytic. The β3 adrenergic receptor-mediated relaxation of the human myometrium is claimed to be cAMP-dependent protein kinase-dependent. This is scientifically displeasing given the failure of β2 agonists as tocolytics and suggests a non-canonical signaling role for β3AR in myometrium. The addition of the β3 agonist mirabegron to pregnant human myometrial strips in the tissue bath relaxes oxytocin-induced contractions. Mirabegron stimulates nitric oxide production in myometrial microvascular endothelial cells, and the relaxation of uterine tissue in vitro is partially blocked by the addition of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase blocker Nω-Nitro-L-arginine. Recent data suggest that both endothelial and smooth muscle cells respond to β3 stimulation and contribute to relaxation through disparate signaling pathways. The repurposing of approved medications such as mirabegron (Mybetriq™) tested in human myometrium as uterine tocolytics can advance the prevention of preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iain L O Buxton
- Myometrial Function Group, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Hazik Asif
- Myometrial Function Group, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Scott D Barnett
- Myometrial Function Group, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, Reno, NV 89557, USA
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Salazar EG, Montoya-Williams D, Passarella M, McGann C, Paul K, Murosko D, Peña MM, Ortiz R, Burris HH, Lorch SA, Handley SC. County-Level Maternal Vulnerability and Preterm Birth in the US. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2315306. [PMID: 37227724 PMCID: PMC10214038 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.15306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Appreciation for the effects of neighborhood conditions and community factors on perinatal health is increasing. However, community-level indices specific to maternal health and associations with preterm birth (PTB) have not been assessed. Objective To examine the association of the Maternal Vulnerability Index (MVI), a novel county-level index designed to quantify maternal vulnerability to adverse health outcomes, with PTB. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cohort study used US Vital Statistics data from January 1 to December 31, 2018. Participants included 3 659 099 singleton births at 22 plus 0/7 to 44 plus 6/7 weeks of gestation born in the US. Analyses were conducted from December 1, 2021, through March 31, 2023. Exposure The MVI, a composite measure of 43 area-level indicators, categorized into 6 themes reflecting physical, social, and health care landscapes. Overall MVI and theme were stratified by quintile (very low to very high) by maternal county of residence. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was PTB (gestational age <37 weeks). Secondary outcomes were PTB categories: extreme (gestational age ≤28 weeks), very (gestational age 29-31 weeks), moderate (gestational age 32-33 weeks), and late (gestational age 34-36 weeks). Multivariable logistic regression quantified associations of MVI, overall and by theme, with PTB, overall and by PTB category. Results Among 3 659 099 births, 298 847 (8.2%) were preterm (male, 51.1%; female, 48.9%). Maternal race and ethnicity included 0.8% American Indian or Alaska Native, 6.8% Asian or Pacific Islander, 23.6% Hispanic, 14.5% non-Hispanic Black, 52.1% non-Hispanic White, and 2.2% with more than 1 race. Compared with full-term births, MVI was higher for PTBs across all themes. Very high MVI was associated with increased PTB in unadjusted (odds ratio [OR], 1.50 [95% CI, 1.45-1.56]) and adjusted (OR, 1.07 [95% CI, 1.01-1.13]) analyses. In adjusted analyses of PTB categories, MVI had the largest association with extreme PTB (adjusted OR, 1.18 [95% CI, 1.07-1.29]). Higher MVI in the themes of physical health, mental health and substance abuse, and general health care remained associated with PTB overall in adjusted models. While the physical health and socioeconomic determinant themes were associated with extreme PTB, physical health, mental health and substance abuse, and general health care themes were associated with late PTB. Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this cohort study suggest that MVI was associated with PTB even after adjustment for individual-level confounders. The MVI is a useful measure for county-level PTB risk that may have policy implications for counties working to lower preterm rates and improve perinatal outcomes.
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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
| | - Diana Montoya-Williams
- Division of Neonatology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Molly Passarella
- Division of Neonatology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Carolyn McGann
- Division of Neonatology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Kathryn Paul
- Division of Neonatology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Daria Murosko
- Division of Neonatology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Michelle-Marie Peña
- Division of Neonatology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Emory University School of Medicine and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Robin Ortiz
- Department of Pediatrics, Institute for Excellence in Health Equity, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Population Health, Institute for Excellence in Health Equity, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Heather H. Burris
- Division of Neonatology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Scott A. Lorch
- Division of Neonatology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Sara C. Handley
- Division of Neonatology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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6
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Kondracki AJ, Reddick B, Smith BE, Geller PA, Callands T, Barkin JL. Sociodemographic disparities in preterm birth and low birthweight in the State of Georgia: Results from the 2017-2018 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System. J Rural Health 2023; 39:91-104. [PMID: 35504850 DOI: 10.1111/jrh.12668] [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: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To update the overall prevalence of preterm birth (PTB) (<37 weeks gestation) and low birthweight (LBW) (<2,500 g) in the State of Georgia, including rural and urban counties. METHODS A sample was drawn from the 2017-2018 Georgia Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS). In the complete-case data of singleton births (n=1,258), we estimated the weighted percentage prevalence of PTB, LBW, early/late PTB, and moderately/very LBW subcategories in association with maternal sociodemographic characteristics, and the prevalence stratified by rural/urban county of residence. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) of PTB and LBW adjusting for selected covariates. Logistic regression results from multiple imputation by chained equations (MICE) were used for comparison. FINDINGS The overall rate for PTB was 9.3% and 6.8% for LBW and among them, 2.3% were early PTB, 7.0% were late PTB, 5.4% were moderately LBW (MLBW), and 1.3% were very LBW (VLBW). Non-Hispanic Black women had the highest prevalence of PTB, LBW, early PTB, MLBW, and VLBW, as well as PTB and LBW in urban counties and LBW in rural counties. The odds of PTB (aOR 1.38; 95% CI: 0.81, 2.35) and LBW (aOR 2.68; 95% CI: 1.32, 5.43) were also higher among non-Hispanic Black relative to non-Hispanic White women and among women who received adequate-plus prenatal care compared to inadequate prenatal care. CONCLUSIONS Socioeconomic and health disparities created by disadvantage should be a focus of state policy to improve neonatal outcomes in the State of Georgia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony J Kondracki
- Department of Community Medicine, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah and Macon, Georgia, USA
| | - Bonzo Reddick
- Department of Community Medicine, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah and Macon, Georgia, USA
| | - Betsy E Smith
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, Georgia, USA
| | - Pamela A Geller
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Drexel University College of Arts and Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Tamora Callands
- Department of Health Promotion & Behavior College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Jennifer L Barkin
- Department of Community Medicine, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah and Macon, Georgia, USA
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Wheeler ML, Oyen ML. Bioengineering Approaches for Placental Research. Ann Biomed Eng 2021; 49:1805-1818. [PMID: 33420547 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-020-02714-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Research into the human placenta's complex functioning is complicated by a lack of suitable physiological in vivo models. Two complementary approaches have emerged recently to address these gaps in understanding, computational in silico techniques, including multi-scale modeling of placental blood flow and oxygen transport, and cellular in vitro approaches, including organoids, tissue engineering, and organ-on-a-chip models. Following a brief introduction to the placenta's structure and function and its influence on the substantial clinical problem of preterm birth, these different bioengineering approaches are reviewed. The cellular techniques allow for investigation of early first-trimester implantation and placental development, including critical biological processes such as trophoblast invasion and trophoblast fusion, that are otherwise very difficult to study. Similarly, computational models of the placenta and the pregnant pelvis at later-term gestation allow for investigations relevant to complications that occur when the placenta has fully developed. To fully understand clinical conditions associated with the placenta, including those with roots in early processes but that only manifest clinically at full-term, a holistic approach to the study of this fascinating, temporary but critical organ is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mackenzie L Wheeler
- Department of Engineering, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA
| | - Michelle L Oyen
- Department of Engineering, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA.
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8
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Dunlop AL, Essalmi AG, Alvalos L, Breton C, Camargo CA, Cowell WJ, Dabelea D, Dager SR, Duarte C, Elliott A, Fichorova R, Gern J, Hedderson MM, Thepaksorn EH, Huddleston K, Karagas MR, Kleinman K, Leve L, Li X, Li Y, Litonjua A, Ludena-Rodriguez Y, Madan JC, Nino JM, McEvoy C, O’Connor TG, Padula AM, Paneth N, Perera F, Sathyanarayana S, Schmidt RJ, Schultz RT, Snowden J, Stanford JB, Trasande L, Volk HE, Wheaton W, Wright RJ, McGrath M. Racial and geographic variation in effects of maternal education and neighborhood-level measures of socioeconomic status on gestational age at birth: Findings from the ECHO cohorts. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0245064. [PMID: 33418560 PMCID: PMC7794036 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Preterm birth occurs at excessively high and disparate rates in the United States. In 2016, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program to investigate the influence of early life exposures on child health. Extant data from the ECHO cohorts provides the opportunity to examine racial and geographic variation in effects of individual- and neighborhood-level markers of socioeconomic status (SES) on gestational age at birth. The objective of this study was to examine the association between individual-level (maternal education) and neighborhood-level markers of SES and gestational age at birth, stratifying by maternal race/ethnicity, and whether any such associations are modified by US geographic region. Twenty-six ECHO cohorts representing 25,526 mother-infant pairs contributed to this disseminated meta-analysis that investigated the effect of maternal prenatal level of education (high school diploma, GED, or less; some college, associate's degree, vocational or technical training [reference category]; bachelor's degree, graduate school, or professional degree) and neighborhood-level markers of SES (census tract [CT] urbanicity, percentage of black population in CT, percentage of population below the federal poverty level in CT) on gestational age at birth (categorized as preterm, early term, full term [the reference category], late, and post term) according to maternal race/ethnicity and US region. Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Cohort-specific results were meta-analyzed using a random effects model. For women overall, a bachelor's degree or above, compared with some college, was associated with a significantly decreased odds of preterm birth (aOR 0.72; 95% CI: 0.61-0.86), whereas a high school education or less was associated with an increased odds of early term birth (aOR 1.10, 95% CI: 1.00-1.21). When stratifying by maternal race/ethnicity, there were no significant associations between maternal education and gestational age at birth among women of racial/ethnic groups other than non-Hispanic white. Among non-Hispanic white women, a bachelor's degree or above was likewise associated with a significantly decreased odds of preterm birth (aOR 0.74 (95% CI: 0.58, 0.94) as well as a decreased odds of early term birth (aOR 0.84 (95% CI: 0.74, 0.95). The association between maternal education and gestational age at birth varied according to US region, with higher levels of maternal education associated with a significantly decreased odds of preterm birth in the Midwest and South but not in the Northeast and West. Non-Hispanic white women residing in rural compared to urban CTs had an increased odds of preterm birth; the ability to detect associations between neighborhood-level measures of SES and gestational age for other race/ethnic groups was limited due to small sample sizes within select strata. Interventions that promote higher educational attainment among women of reproductive age could contribute to a reduction in preterm birth, particularly in the US South and Midwest. Further individual-level analyses engaging a diverse set of cohorts are needed to disentangle the complex interrelationships among maternal education, neighborhood-level factors, exposures across the life course, and gestational age at birth outcomes by maternal race/ethnicity and US geography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne L. Dunlop
- Woodruff Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine and Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Alicynne Glazier Essalmi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Lyndsay Alvalos
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, California, United States of America
| | - Carrie Breton
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Carlos A. Camargo
- Department of Epidemiology Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Whitney J. Cowell
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Dana Dabelea
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Stephen R. Dager
- Department of Radiology and Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Cristiane Duarte
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Amy Elliott
- Avera Research Institute Center for Pediatric & Community Research, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States of America
| | - Raina Fichorova
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - James Gern
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Monique M. Hedderson
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, California, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth Hom Thepaksorn
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Kathi Huddleston
- College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Margaret R. Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Ken Kleinman
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Leslie Leve
- Prevention Science Institute, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Ximin Li
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland United States of America
| | - Yijun Li
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland United States of America
| | - Augusto Litonjua
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Yunin Ludena-Rodriguez
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Health, Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Juliette C. Madan
- Department of Epidemiology Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Julio Mateus Nino
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Atrium Health, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Cynthia McEvoy
- Division of Neonatal, Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Thomas G. O’Connor
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Amy M. Padula
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Nigel Paneth
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Frederica Perera
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Sheela Sathyanarayana
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington & Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Rebecca J. Schmidt
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Health, Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Robert T. Schultz
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Jessica Snowden
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America
| | - Joseph B. Stanford
- Department of Family Preventative Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Leonardo Trasande
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Heather E. Volk
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland United States of America
| | - William Wheaton
- Science and Technology Program, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Rosalind J. Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Monica McGrath
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland United States of America
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9
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Mendez DD, Sanders SA, Lai YH, Wallace ML, Rathbun SL, Gary-Webb TL, Davis EM, Burke LE. Ecological momentary assessment of stress, racism and other forms of discrimination during pregnancy using smartphone technology. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2020; 34:522-531. [PMID: 31930744 DOI: 10.1111/ppe.12619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the United States, there are considerable racial inequities in adverse perinatal outcomes. Exposure to racism, sexism, and other forms of oppression may help explain these inequities. OBJECTIVES To describe the application of real-time data collection using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and smartphone technology to assess exposure to stress, racism, sexism, microaggressions, and other forms of oppression. METHODS The Postpartum Mothers Mobile Study (PMOMS) is an ongoing longitudinal cohort study that began recruitment in December 2017. Participants delivering at a hospital in Pittsburgh, PA are recruited by 29 weeks' gestation. Using smartphones and smart scales, participants complete daily surveys related to psychosocial, behavioural, and contextual factors and weigh themselves weekly for approximately 15 months. We provide a preliminary descriptive analysis of EMA self-reported measures of stress, racism, sexism, and microaggressions; and non-EMA measures of stress and major discrimination. RESULTS The sample (n = 230) is 63.5% White, 24.8% Black/African American, and 7% Hispanic origin. The most commonly reported item from the Major Discrimination Scale is being unfairly fired (18.1% of the sample). Of those, 31.7% and 17.1% attribute unfair firing to their gender and race, respectively. From the random EMA measures, on average, participants report experiences of racism and sexism at least once daily, in an average 12-hour day over the 4-week period. Black participants indicate about two experiences per day of racism, and White participants indicate more than 1 per day of sexism. Mean stress levels from the EMA measures were similar to the stress measures collected at baseline. CONCLUSIONS The methods applied in PMOMS provide real-time data regarding how participants' daily experiences of stress and discrimination influence their lives. Future work will include understanding if and how these EMA measures may relate to already established measures of racism, sexism, and stress; and ultimately understanding associations with perinatal inequities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dara D Mendez
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sarah A Sanders
- Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Yu-Hsuan Lai
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Stephen L Rathbun
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Georgia College of Public Health, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Tiffany L Gary-Webb
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Esa M Davis
- Division of Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Department of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Lora E Burke
- School of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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10
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Gonçalves JL, Fuertes M, Alves MJ, Antunes S, Almeida AR, Casimiro R, Santos M. Maternal pre and perinatal experiences with their full-term, preterm and very preterm newborns. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2020; 20:276. [PMID: 32375667 PMCID: PMC7204281 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-020-02934-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Mothers’ reports about pregnancy, maternity and their experiences during the perinatal period have been associated with infants’ later quality of attachment and development. Yet, there has been little research with mothers of very preterm newborns. This study aimed to explore mothers’ experiences related to pregnancy, premature birth, relationship with the newborn, and future perspectives, and to compare them in the context of distinct infants’ at-birth-risk conditions. Methods A semi-structured interview was conducted with women after birth, within the first 72 h of the newborn’s life. A total of 150 women participated and were divided in three groups: (1) 50 mothers of full-term newborns (Gestational Age (GA) ≥ 37 weeks; FT), (2) 50 mothers of preterm newborns (GA 32–36 weeks; PT) and (3) 50 mothers of very preterm newborns (GA < 32 weeks; VPT). Results Mothers of full-term infants responded more often that their children were calm and that they did not expect difficulties in taking care of and providing for the baby. Mothers of preterm newborns although having planned and accepted well the pregnancy (with no mixed or ambivalent feelings about it) and while being optimistic about their competence to take care of the baby, mentioned feeling frightened because of the unexpected occurrence of a premature birth and its associated risks. Mothers of very preterm newborns reported more negative and distressful feelings while showing more difficulties in anticipating the experience of caring for their babies. Conclusion The results indicate that Health Care Systems and Neonatal Care Policy should provide differentiated psychological support and responses to mothers, babies and families, taking into account the newborns’ GA and neonatal risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana L Gonçalves
- Center for Psychology at University of Porto (CPUP), Rua Alfredo Allen, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Marina Fuertes
- Center for Psychology at University of Porto (CPUP), Rua Alfredo Allen, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria João Alves
- Center for Psychology at University of Porto (CPUP), Rua Alfredo Allen, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sandra Antunes
- School of Health Technology, Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana Rita Almeida
- Lisbon School of Education/CIED, Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rute Casimiro
- Lisbon School of Education/CIED, Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Margarida Santos
- School of Health Technology, Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.,Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
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11
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Franck LS, McLemore MR, Williams S, Millar K, Gordon AY, Williams S, Woods N, Edwards L, Pacheco T, Padilla A, Nelson F, Rand L. Research priorities of women at risk for preterm birth: findings and a call to action. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2020. [PMID: 31928534 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-0192664-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Traditional hierarchical approaches to research give privilege to small groups with decision-making power, without direct input from those with lived experience of illness who bear the burden of disease. A Research Justice framework values the expertise of patients and communities as well as their power in creating knowledge and in decisions about what research is conducted. Preterm birth has persisted at epidemic levels in the United States for decades and disproportionately affects women of color, especially Black women. Women of color have not been included in setting the agenda regarding preterm birth research. METHODS We used the Research Priorities of Affected Communities protocol to elicit and prioritize potential research questions and topics directly from women of color living in three communities that experience disproportionately high rates of preterm birth. Women participated in two focus group sessions, first describing their healthcare experiences and generating lists of uncertainties about their health and/or healthcare during pregnancy. Women then participated in consensus activities to achieve 'top-priority' research questions and topic lists. The priority research questions and topics produced by each group were examined within and across the three regions for similarities and differences. RESULTS Fifty-four women participated in seven groups (14 sessions) and generated 375 researchable questions, clustered within 22 topics and four overarching themes: Maternal Health and Care Before, During, and After Pregnancy; Newborn Health and Care of the Preterm Baby; Understanding Stress and Interventions to Prevent or Reduce Stress; and Interpersonal and Structural Health Inequities. The questions and topics represent a wide range of research domains, from basic science, translational, clinical, health and social care delivery to policy and economic research. There were many similarities and some unique differences in the questions, topics and priorities across the regions. CONCLUSIONS These findings can be used to design and fund research addressing unanswered questions that matter most to women at high risk for preterm birth. Investigators and funders are strongly encouraged to incorporate women at the front lines of the preterm birth epidemic in research design and funding decisions, and more broadly, to advance methods to deepen healthcare research partnerships with affected communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda S Franck
- California Preterm Birth Initiative, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Family Health Care Nursing, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, 2 Koret Way, N411F, Box 0606, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
| | - Monica R McLemore
- California Preterm Birth Initiative, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shanell Williams
- California Preterm Birth Initiative, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kathryn Millar
- California Preterm Birth Initiative, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Nakia Woods
- Oakland Best Babies Zone (formerly), San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Artie Padilla
- Fresno Every Neighborhood Partnership, Fresno, CA, USA
| | - Fanta Nelson
- Fresno County Black Infant Health, Fresno, CA, USA
| | - Larry Rand
- California Preterm Birth Initiative, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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12
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Franck LS, McLemore MR, Williams S, Millar K, Gordon AY, Williams S, Woods N, Edwards L, Pacheco T, Padilla A, Nelson F, Rand L. Research priorities of women at risk for preterm birth: findings and a call to action. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2020; 20:10. [PMID: 31928534 PMCID: PMC6956492 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-019-2664-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Traditional hierarchical approaches to research give privilege to small groups with decision-making power, without direct input from those with lived experience of illness who bear the burden of disease. A Research Justice framework values the expertise of patients and communities as well as their power in creating knowledge and in decisions about what research is conducted. Preterm birth has persisted at epidemic levels in the United States for decades and disproportionately affects women of color, especially Black women. Women of color have not been included in setting the agenda regarding preterm birth research. Methods We used the Research Priorities of Affected Communities protocol to elicit and prioritize potential research questions and topics directly from women of color living in three communities that experience disproportionately high rates of preterm birth. Women participated in two focus group sessions, first describing their healthcare experiences and generating lists of uncertainties about their health and/or healthcare during pregnancy. Women then participated in consensus activities to achieve ‘top-priority’ research questions and topic lists. The priority research questions and topics produced by each group were examined within and across the three regions for similarities and differences. Results Fifty-four women participated in seven groups (14 sessions) and generated 375 researchable questions, clustered within 22 topics and four overarching themes: Maternal Health and Care Before, During, and After Pregnancy; Newborn Health and Care of the Preterm Baby; Understanding Stress and Interventions to Prevent or Reduce Stress; and Interpersonal and Structural Health Inequities. The questions and topics represent a wide range of research domains, from basic science, translational, clinical, health and social care delivery to policy and economic research. There were many similarities and some unique differences in the questions, topics and priorities across the regions. Conclusions These findings can be used to design and fund research addressing unanswered questions that matter most to women at high risk for preterm birth. Investigators and funders are strongly encouraged to incorporate women at the front lines of the preterm birth epidemic in research design and funding decisions, and more broadly, to advance methods to deepen healthcare research partnerships with affected communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda S Franck
- California Preterm Birth Initiative, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. .,Department of Family Health Care Nursing, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, 2 Koret Way, N411F, Box 0606, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
| | - Monica R McLemore
- California Preterm Birth Initiative, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shanell Williams
- California Preterm Birth Initiative, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kathryn Millar
- California Preterm Birth Initiative, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Nakia Woods
- Oakland Best Babies Zone (formerly), San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Artie Padilla
- Fresno Every Neighborhood Partnership, Fresno, CA, USA
| | - Fanta Nelson
- Fresno County Black Infant Health, Fresno, CA, USA
| | - Larry Rand
- California Preterm Birth Initiative, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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