Beyond the cross-sectional: Neighborhood poverty histories and preterm birth

C. Margerison-Zilko, C. Cubbin, J. Jun, K. Marchi, K. Fingar and P. Braveman

American Journal of Public Health, 2015, vol. 105, issue 6, 1174-1180

Abstract: Objectives. We examined associations between longitudinal neighborhood poverty trajectories and preterm birth (PTB). Methods. Using data from the Neighborhood Change Database (1970-2000) and the American Community Survey (2005-2009), we categorized longitudinal trajectories of poverty for California neighborhoods (i.e., census tracts). Birth data included 23 291 singleton California births from the Maternal and Infant Health Assessment (2003-2009). We estimated associations (adjusted for individual-level covariates) between PTB and longitudinal poverty trajectories and compared these to associations using traditional, cross-sectional measures of poverty. Results. Compared to neighborhoods with long-term low poverty, those with long-term high poverty and those that experienced increasing poverty early in the study period had 41% and 37% increased odds of PTB (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.18, 1.69 and 1.09, 1.72, respectively). High (compared with low) cross-sectional neighborhood poverty was not associated with PTB (odds ratio = 1.08; 95% CI = 0.91, 1.28). Conclusions. Neighborhood poverty histories may contribute to an understanding of perinatal health and should be considered in future research. © 2015, American Public Health Association Inc. All rights reserved.

Keywords: cross-sectional study; demography; female; human; longitudinal study; newborn; poverty; pregnancy; pregnancy outcome; prematurity; prevalence; risk factor; United States, California; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Longitudinal Studies; Poverty Areas; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Premature Birth; Prevalence; Residence Characteristics; Risk Factors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2014.302441_1

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302441

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