Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T04:08:42.208Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Population Changes, Racial/Ethnic Disparities, and Birth Outcomes in Louisiana After Hurricane Katrina

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 April 2013

Emily W. Harville ,
Tri Tran ,
Xu Xiong  and
Pierre Buekens
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective: To examine how the demographic and other population changes affected birth and obstetric outcomes in Louisiana, and the effect of the hurricane on racial disparities in these outcomes.

Methods: Vital statistics data were used to compare the incidence of low birth weight (LBW) (<2500 g), preterm birth (PTB) (37 weeks' gestation), cesarean section, and inadequate prenatal care (as measured by the Kotelchuck index), in the 2 years after Katrina compared to the 2 years before, for the state as a whole, region 1 (the area around New Orleans), and Orleans Parish (New Orleans). Logistic models were used to adjust for covariates.

Results: After adjustment, rates of LBW rose for the state, but preterm birth did not. In region 1 and Orleans Parish, rates of LBW and PTB remained constant or fell. These patterns were all strongest in African American women. Rates of cesarean section and inadequate prenatal care rose. Racial disparities in birth outcomes remained constant or were reduced.

Conclusions: Although risk of LBW/PTB remained higher in African Americans, the storm does not appear to have exacerbated health disparities, nor did population shifts explain the changes in birth and obstetric outcomes.

(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2010;4:S39-S45)

Keywords

birth weightpreterm birthcesarean sectionprenatal carerace/ethnicity
Type
Original Article
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 4 , Issue S1 , September 2010 , pp. S39 - S45
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1.Logan, JR.The impact of Katrina: race and class in storm-damaged neighborhoods. http://www.s4.brown.edu/Katrina/report.pdf. Accessed August 19, 2010.Google Scholar
2.Brunkard, J, Namulanda, G, Ratard, R.Hurricane Katrina deaths, Louisiana, 2005. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2008;2 (4):215–223.Google Scholar
3.Sastry, N, VanLandingham, M.One year later: mental illness prevalence and disparities among New Orleans residents displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Am J Public Health. 2009;99(Suppl 3)S725–S731.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Fonseca, VA, Smith, H, Kuhadiya, N, et alImpact of a natural disaster on diabetes: exacerbation of disparities and long-term consequences. Diabetes Care. 2009;32 (9):1632–1638.Google Scholar
5.Rosen, CS, Matthieu, MM, Norris, FH.Factors predicting crisis counselor referrals to other crisis counseling, disaster relief, and psychological services: a cross-site analysis of post-Katrina programs. Adm Policy Ment Health. 2009;36 (3):186–194.Google Scholar
6.Buekens, P, Xiong, X, Harville, E.Hurricanes and pregnancy. Birth. 2006;33 (2):91–93.Google Scholar
7.Martin, JA, Hamilton, BE, Sutton, PD, et alCenters for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics National Vital Statistics System. Births: final data for 2005. Natl Vital Stat Rep. 2007;56 (6):1–103.Google Scholar
8.Hogue, CJ, Hoffman, S, Hatch, MC.Stress and preterm delivery: a conceptual framework. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol.2001;15:30. National Vital Statistics Reports 40.Google Scholar
9.Paarlberg, KM, Vingerhoets, AJ, Passchier, J, Dekker, GA, Heinen, AG, van Geijn, HP.Psychosocial predictors of low birthweight: a prospective study. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1999;106 (8):834–841.Google Scholar
10.Rich-Edwards, JW, Grizzard, TA.Psychosocial stress and neuroendocrine mechanisms in preterm delivery. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2005;192 5(Suppl)S30–S35.Google Scholar
11.Rubonis, AV, Bickman, L.Psychological impairment in the wake of disaster: the disaster-psychopathology relationship. Psychol Bull. 1991;109 (3):384–399.Google Scholar
12.Norris, FH, Friedman, MJ, Watson, PJ.60,000 disaster victims speak: Part II. Summary and implications of the disaster mental health research. Psychiatry. 2002;65 (3):240–260.Google Scholar
13.Norris, FH, Friedman, MJ, Watson, PJ, Byrne, CM, Diaz, E, Kaniasty, K.60,000 disaster victims speak: Part I. An empirical review of the empirical literature, 1981-2001. Psychiatry. 2002;65 (3):207–239.Google Scholar
14.Dole, N, Savitz, DA, Siega-Riz, AM, Hertz-Picciotto, I, McMahon, MJ, Buekens, P.Psychosocial factors and preterm birth among African American and white women in central North Carolina. Am J Public Health. 2004;94 (8):1358–1365.Google Scholar
15.Steer, RA, Scholl, TO, Hediger, ML, Fischer, RL.Self-reported depression and negative pregnancy outcomes. J Clin Epidemiol. 1992;45 (10):1093–1099.Google Scholar
16.Vlahov, D, Galea, S, Resnick, H, et alIncreased use of cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana among Manhattan, New York, residents after the September 11th terrorist attacks. Am J Epidemiol. 2002;155 (11):988–996.Google Scholar
17.Kassel, JD, Stroud, LR, Paronis, CA.Smoking, stress, and negative affect: correlation, causation, and context across stages of smoking. Psychol Bull. 2003;129 (2):270–304.Google Scholar
18.Duff, EM, Cooper, ES.Neural tube defects in Jamaica following Hurricane Gilbert. Am J Public Health. 1994;84 (3):473–476.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19.Sack, K.Louisiana wins in bid for money for hospital. New York Times. 2010;A14.Google Scholar
20.Hamilton, BE, Sutton, PD, Mathews, TJ, Martin, JA, Ventura, SJ.The effect of Hurricane Katrina: births in the U.S. Gulf Coast region, before and after the storm. Natl Vital Stat Rep. 2009;58 (2):1–28, 32.Google ScholarPubMed
21.Taffel, S, Johnson, D, Heuser, R.A Method of Imputing Length of Gestation on Birth Certificates. Vol 2. Hyattsville, MD: US Public Health Service.; 1982.Google Scholar
22.Kotelchuck, M.Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilization Index. SAS Institute. http://www.mchlibrary.info/databases/HSNRCPDFs/APNCU994_20SAS.pdf. Published September 1994. Accessed August 18, 2010.Google Scholar
23.Kotelchuck, M.An evaluation of the Kessner Adequacy of Prenatal Care Index and a proposed Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilization Index. Am J Public Health. 1994;84 (9):1414–1420.Google Scholar
24.US Census Bureau. Annual estimates of resident population change for the United States, States, and Puerto Rico and state rankings: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2009. http://www.census.gov/popest/states/files/NST-EST2009-popchg2000-2009.csv. Accessed July 21, 2010.Google Scholar
25.Tucker, J, McGuire, W.Epidemiology of preterm birth. BMJ. 2004;329 (7467):675–678.Google Scholar
26.Lang, JM, Lieberman, E, Cohen, A.A comparison of risk factors for preterm labor and term small-for-gestational-age birth. Epidemiology. 1996;7 (4):369–376.Google Scholar
27.Health care for Katrina victims. New York Times. October 4, 2005;A26.Google Scholar
28.Rich-Edwards, JW, Kleinman, KP, Strong, EF, Oken, E, Gillman, MW.Preterm delivery in Boston before and after September 11th, 2001. Epidemiology. 2005;16 (3):323–327.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
29.Endara, SM, Ryan, MA, Sevick, CJ, Conlin, AM, Macera, CA, Smith, TC.Does acute maternal stress in pregnancy affect infant health outcomes? Examination of a large cohort of infants born after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. BMC Public Health. 2009;9:25219619310.Google Scholar
30.Paarlberg, KM, Vingerhoets, AJ, Passchier, J, Dekker, GA, Van Geijn, HP.Psychosocial factors and pregnancy outcome: a review with emphasis on methodological issues. J Psychosom Res. 1995;39 (5):563–595.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
31.Hobel, CJ, Goldstein, A, Barrett, ES.Psychosocial stress and pregnancy outcome. Clin Obstet Gynecol. 2008;51 (2):333–348.Google Scholar
32.Reichman, NE, Schwartz-Soicher, O.Accuracy of birth certificate data by risk factors and outcomes: analysis of data from New Jersey. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2007;197 (1):32–38, e1-e8.Google Scholar
33.Vinikoor, LC, Messer, LC, Laraia, BA, Kaufman, JS.Reliability of variables on the North Carolina birth certificate: a comparison with directly queried values from a cohort study. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2010;24 (1):102–112.Google Scholar
34.Wingate, MS, Alexander, GR, Buekens, P, Vahratian, A.Comparison of gestational age classifications: date of last menstrual period vs. clinical estimate. Ann Epidemiol. 2007;17 (6):425–430.Google Scholar
35.Fell, DB, Dodds, L, King, WD.Residential mobility during pregnancy. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2004;18 (6):408–414.Google Scholar