CSDE Affiliate Lee and CSDE Alumna Larimore Co-author Study on Black Health Outcomes
Posted: 2/15/2021 (CSDE Research)
CSDE Affiliate Hedwig Lee and CSDE Alumna Savannah Larimore, along with co-authors, recently published an article in Population Research and Policy Review. Employing logistic regression analyses, they examine differences in low birth weight, preterm birth, gestational hypertension, and gestational diabetes by nativity (i.e., US- or foreign-born), region of origin (e.g., Sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean), and current US division of residence (e.g., Middle Atlantic, South Atlantic) within the Black population. Using national birth records data from 2013 to 2016 data, their study finds that foreign-born Blacks are at a lower risk for low birth weight, preterm birth, and gestational hypertension, but at an elevated risk for gestational diabetes compared to US-born Blacks. Moreover, the authors find substantial variation in this general pattern across region of origin and division of residence in the US. These findings demonstrate the potential role of migration, context, and selectivity in the health of foreign-born Blacks and demonstrate that national averages mask geographic variation, limiting our understanding of the contributions of these and other social processes to the health of racialized groups in the US. To read the article click here.