Living arrangements and housing affordability issues of young adults in Canada: Differences by nativity status.

Housing prices in Canada have increased dramatically, giving rise to a housing affordability crisis. Young adults have been disproportionately affected by this crisis. To cope, many young adults have had to alter their living arrangements, contributing to the diversification of their living arrangements. Young adults' diverse living arrangements are the product of growing inequalities in young adults' economic prospects and access to family support. Extant work has yet to document how young adults' risk of having unaffordable housing varies according to their living arrangements. Our comparison of young adults' risk of having unaffordable housing according to their living arrangements reveals that co-residence with parents, relatives, or roommates reduces young adults' risk of having unaffordable housing. This protective effect is smaller for the foreign-born than the Canadian-born. The National Housing Strategy should allocate more resources to increase the supply of affordable housing earmarked for young adults, particularly the foreign-born who live alone or with children.

Les prix du logement au Canada ont augmenté de façon spectaculaire, donnant lieu à une crise de l'abordabilité. Les jeunes adultes ont été touchés de manière disproportionnée par cette crise. Pour faire face à la situation, de nombreux jeunes adultes ont dû modifier leurs conditions de vie, contribuant ainsi à la diversification de leurs conditions de vie. Les diverses conditions de vie des jeunes adultes sont le produit d'inégalités croissantes dans les perspectives économiques des jeunes adultes et dans l'accès à l'aide familiale. Les recherches existantes n'ont pas encore documenté la manière dont le risque pour les jeunes adultes d'avoir un logement inabordable varie en fonction de leurs conditions de vie. Notre comparaison du risque pour les jeunes adultes de se trouver dans un logement inabordable en fonction de leurs conditions de vie révèle que la cohabitation avec leurs parents, des proches ou des colocataires réduit le risque pour les jeunes adultes de se trouver dans un logement inabordable. Cet effet protecteur est plus faible pour les personnes nées à l'étranger que pour les personnes nées au Canada. La Stratégie nationale sur le logement devrait allouer davantage de ressources pour augmenter l'offre de logements abordables destinés aux jeunes adultes, en particulier aux personnes nées à l'étranger qui vivent seules ou avec des enfants.

Actinin-4 controls survival signaling in B cells by limiting the lateral mobility of B-cell antigen receptors.

The structure and dynamics of F-actin networks in the cortical area of B cells control the signal efficiency of B-cell antigen receptors (BCRs). Although antigen-induced signaling has been studied extensively, the role of cortical F-actin in antigen-independent tonic BCR signaling is less well understood. Because these signals are essential for the survival of B cells and are consequently exploited by several B-cell lymphomas, we assessed how the cortical F-actin structure influences tonic BCR signal transduction. We employed genetic variants of a primary cell-like B-cell line that can be rendered quiescent to show that cross-linking of actin filaments by α-actinin-4 (ACTN4), but not ACTN1, is required to preserve the dense architecture of F-actin in the cortical area of B cells. The reduced cortical F-actin density in the absence of ACTN4 resulted in increased lateral BCR diffusion. Surprisingly, this was associated with reduced tonic activation of BCR-proximal effector proteins, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and pro-survival pathways. Accordingly, ACTN4-deficient B-cell lines and primary human B cells exhibit augmented apoptosis. Hence, our findings reveal that cortical F-actin architecture regulates antigen-independent tonic BCR survival signals in human B cells.

WAVE2 Regulates Actin-Dependent Processes Induced by the B Cell Antigen Receptor and Integrins.

B cell antigen receptor (BCR) signaling induces actin cytoskeleton remodeling by stimulating actin severing, actin polymerization, and the nucleation of branched actin networks via the Arp2/3 complex. This enables B cells to spread on antigen-bearing surfaces in order to increase antigen encounters and to form an immune synapse (IS) when interacting with antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Although the WASp, N-WASp, and WAVE nucleation-promoting factors activate the Arp2/3 complex, the role of WAVE2 in B cells has not been directly assessed. We now show that both WAVE2 and the Arp2/3 complex localize to the peripheral ring of branched F-actin when B cells spread on immobilized anti-Ig antibodies. The siRNA-mediated depletion of WAVE2 reduced and delayed B cell spreading on immobilized anti-Ig, and this was associated with a thinner peripheral F-actin ring and reduced actin retrograde flow compared to control cells. Depleting WAVE2 also impaired integrin-mediated B cell spreading on fibronectin and the LFA-1-induced formation of actomyosin arcs. Actin retrograde flow amplifies BCR signaling at the IS, and we found that depleting WAVE2 reduced microcluster-based BCR signaling and signal amplification at the IS, as well as B cell activation in response to antigen-bearing cells. Hence, WAVE2 contributes to multiple actin-dependent processes in B lymphocytes.

An anti-HER2 biparatopic antibody that induces unique HER2 clustering and complement-dependent cytotoxicity.

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is a receptor tyrosine kinase that plays an oncogenic role in breast, gastric and other solid tumors. However, anti-HER2 therapies are only currently approved for the treatment of breast and gastric/gastric esophageal junction cancers and treatment resistance remains a problem. Here, we engineer an anti-HER2 IgG1 bispecific, biparatopic antibody (Ab), zanidatamab, with unique and enhanced functionalities compared to both trastuzumab and the combination of trastuzumab plus pertuzumab (tras + pert). Zanidatamab binds adjacent HER2 molecules in trans and initiates distinct HER2 reorganization, as shown by polarized cell surface HER2 caps and large HER2 clusters, not observed with trastuzumab or tras + pert. Moreover, zanidatamab, but not trastuzumab nor tras + pert, elicit potent complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) against high HER2-expressing tumor cells in vitro. Zanidatamab also mediates HER2 internalization and downregulation, inhibition of both cell signaling and tumor growth, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and phagocytosis (ADCP), and also shows superior in vivo antitumor activity compared to tras + pert in a HER2-expressing xenograft model. Collectively, we show that zanidatamab has multiple and distinct mechanisms of action derived from the structural effects of biparatopic HER2 engagement.

Racial/Ethnic Variation in the Relationship Between Educational Assortative Mating and Wives' Income Trajectories.

Prior work has examined the relationship between educational assortative mating and wives' labor market participation but has not assessed how this relationship varies by race/ethnicity. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979, we estimate group-based developmental trajectories to investigate whether the association between educational assortative mating and wives' income trajectories varies by race/ethnicity. The presence, prevalence, and shapes of prototypical long-term income trajectories vary markedly across racial/ethnic groups. Whites are more likely than Blacks and Hispanics to follow income trajectories consistent with a traditional gender division of labor. The association between educational assortative mating is also stronger for Whites than for Blacks and Hispanics. White wives in educationally hypogamous unions make the greatest contribution to the couple's total income, followed by those in homogamous and hypergamous unions. Black and Hispanic wives in hypogamous unions are less likely than their peers in other unions to be secondary earners. These findings underscore the need for studies of the consequences of educational assortative mating to pay closer attention to heterogeneity across and within racial/ethnic groups.

ERK contributes to B cell receptor-induced cell spreading in the A20 mouse B cell line.

B cells provide protective immunity by secreting antibodies. When a B cell encounters its specific antigen, B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling initiates actin remodeling. This allows B cells to spread on antigen-bearing surfaces and find more antigen, which increases BCR signaling and facilitates B cell activation. The BCR activates multiple signaling pathways that target actin-regulatory proteins. Although the extracellular signal-regulated kinases ERK1 and ERK2 regulate actin-dependent processes in adherent cells, their role in BCR-induced actin remodeling had not been investigated. Here, we show that targeting ERK with chemical inhibitors or siRNA inhibits BCR-induced spreading in a murine B cell line.

Ageism toward older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: Intergenerational conflict and support.

A cross-national representative survey in Canada and the U.S. examined ageism toward older individuals during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, including ageist consumption stereotypes and perceptions of older people's competence and warmth. We also investigated predictors of ageism, including economic and health threat, social dominance orientation, individualism and collectivism, social distancing beliefs, and demographics. In both countries, younger adults were more likely to hold ageist consumption stereotypes, demonstrating intergenerational conflict about the resources being used by older people. Similarly, young adults provided older people with the lowest competence and warmth scores, though adults of all ages rated older individuals as more warm than competent. Particularly among younger individuals, beliefs about group-based dominance hierarchies, the importance of competition, and the costs of social distancing predicted greater endorsement, whereas beliefs about interdependence and the importance of sacrificing for the collective good predicted lower endorsement of ageist consumption stereotypes. Support for group-based inequality predicted lower perceived competence and warmth of older individuals, whereas beliefs about interdependence and the importance of sacrificing for the collective good predicted higher perceived competence and warmth of older individuals. Implications for policies and practices to reduce intergenerational conflict and ageist perceptions of older individuals are discussed.

Socioeconomic Variation in the Relationship Between Neighbourhoods' Built Environments and the Spread of COVID-19 in Toronto, Canada.

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic underscores the importance of place of residence as a determinant of health. Prior work has primarily examined the relationship between neighbourhoods' sociodemographic traits and COVID-19 infection rates. Using data from the City of Toronto, Canada, we assess how the built environments of neighbourhoods, in conjunction with their sociodemographic profiles, shape the pattern of spread of COVID-19 in low-, middle-, and high-income neighbourhoods. Our results show that COVID-19 spread faster in neighbourhoods with a higher share of overcrowded households, large commercial areas, and poor walkability. The extent to which neighbourhood walkability is associated with a slower increase in COVID-19 infections varied by neighbourhood income level, with a stronger negative association in low-income neighbourhoods. Net of the share of overcrowded households, population density is associated with a faster increase in COVID-19 infections in low-income neighbourhoods, but slower increase in high-income neighbourhoods. More green space is associated with a slower increase in COVID-19 infections in low-income, but not higher-income, neighbourhoods. Overall, our findings suggest that post-pandemic urban planning efforts cannot adopt a one-size-fits-all policy when reconstructing neighbourhoods in ways that promote health and reduce their vulnerability to infectious diseases. Instead, they should tailor the rebuilding process in ways that address the diverse needs of residents in low-, middle-, and high-income neighbourhoods.

Parmi les déterminants de la santé, la récente pandémie de coronavirus (COVID-19) a souligné l'importance du lieu de résidence. Les travaux de recherche antérieurs se sont essentiellement attachés à étudier le lien entre les caractéristiques démographiques des quartiers et les taux d'infection à la COVID-19. En nous appuyant sur les données de la ville de Toronto au Canada, nous avons évalué la façon dont l'environnement bâti des quartiers, de pair avec leurs profils sociodémographiques, pouvait façonner les schémas de propagation de la COVID-19 dans les secteurs à faibles revenus, à revenus moyens et à revenus élevés. Nos résultats montrent que la COVID-19 se propage plus rapidement dans les quartiers à forte proportion de logements surpeuplés, où les grandes zones commerciales sont plus nombreuses et où les potentiels piétonniers sont moindres. Le degré de corrélation entre le potentiel piétonnier et la progression plus lente des cas de contamination à la COVID-19 dépend du niveau de revenu d'un quartier, et cette corrélation s'avère plus fortement négative dès lors que les revenus y sont faibles. Déduction faite de la proportion de logements surpeuplés, la densité de population est corrélée à une progression plus forte des cas de contamination à la COVID-19 dans les secteurs à faibles revenus, et à une propagation plus lente au sein des quartiers à revenus élevés. Dans les secteurs à faibles revenus, la présence d'espaces verts en plus grand nombre est corrélée à une progression plus lente des cas de contamination à la COVID-19, ce qui n'est pas le cas dans les quartiers à revenus élevés. Dans l'ensemble, nos résultats montrent que pour reconstruire les quartiers de manière à promouvoir la santé et réduire la vulnérabilité aux maladies infectieuses, les efforts de planification urbaine postpandémie ne pourront adopter une approche uniformisée. Au contraire, les processus de reconstruction devront être adaptés pour répondre aux différents besoins des résidents de tous les quartiers, quels que soient leurs niveaux de revenus.

The Actin-Disassembly Protein Glia Maturation Factor γ Enhances Actin Remodeling and B Cell Antigen Receptor Signaling at the Immune Synapse.

Signaling by the B cell antigen receptor (BCR) initiates actin remodeling. The assembly of branched actin networks that are nucleated by the Arp2/3 complex exert outward force on the plasma membrane, allowing B cells to form membrane protrusions that can scan the surface of antigen-presenting cells (APCs). The resulting Arp2/3 complex-dependent actin retrograde flow promotes the centripetal movement and progressive coalescence of BCR microclusters, which amplifies BCR signaling. Glia maturation factor γ (GMFγ) is an actin disassembly-protein that releases Arp2/3 complex-nucleated actin filaments from actin networks. By doing so, GMFγ could either oppose the actions of the Arp2/3 complex or support Arp2/3 complex-nucleated actin polymerization by contributing to the recycling of actin monomers and Arp2/3 complexes. We now show that reducing the levels of GMFγ in human B cell lines via transfection with a specific siRNA impairs the ability of B cells to spread on antigen-coated surfaces, decreases the velocity of actin retrograde flow, diminishes the coalescence of BCR microclusters into a central cluster at the B cell-APC contact site, and decreases APC-induced BCR signaling. These effects of depleting GMFγ are similar to what occurs when the Arp2/3 complex is inhibited. This suggests that GMFγ cooperates with the Arp2/3 complex to support BCR-induced actin remodeling and amplify BCR signaling at the immune synapse.

Studying the social determinants of COVID-19 in a data vacuum.

Race-based and other demographic information on COVID-19 patients is not being collected consistently across provinces in Canada. Therefore, whether the burden of COVID-19 is falling disproportionately on the shoulders of particular demographic groups is relatively unknown. In this article, we first provide an overview of the available geographic and demographic data related to COVID-19. We then make creative use of these existing data to fill the vacuum and identify key demographic risk factors for COVID-19 across Canada's health regions. Drawing on COVID-19 counts and tabular census data, we examine the association between communities' demographic composition and the number of COVID-19 infections. COVID-19 infections are higher in communities with larger shares of Black and low-income residents. Our approach offers a way for researchers and policymakers to use existing data to identify communities nationwide that are vulnerable to the pandemic in the absence of more detailed demographic and more granular geographic data.

Les renseignements fondés sur la race et d'autres données démographiques sur les patients atteints du COVID-19 ne sont pas recueillis de manière uniforme dans toutes les provinces du Canada. Par conséquent, si le fardeau du COVID-19 tombe de manière disproportionnée sur les épaules de groupes démographiques particuliers est relativement inconnu. Dans cet article, nous fournissons d'abord un aperçu des données géographiques et démographiques disponibles liées au COVID-19. Nous utilisons ensuite de manière créative ces données existantes pour combler le vide et identifier les principaux facteurs de risque démographiques du COVID-19 dans les régions sociosanitaires du Canada. En nous basant sur les dénombrements de COVID-19 et les données tabulaires du recensement, nous examinons l'association entre la composition démographique des communautés et le nombre d'infections au COVID-19. Les infections au COVID-19 sont plus élevées dans les communautés avec une plus grande proportion de résidents Noirs et à faible revenu. Notre approche offre aux chercheurs et aux décideurs un moyen d'utiliser les données existantes pour identifier les communautés à l'échelle nationale qui sont vulnérables à la pandémie en l'absence de données démographiques plus détaillées et géographiques plus granulaires.

The Wdr1-LIMK-Cofilin Axis Controls B Cell Antigen Receptor-Induced Actin Remodeling and Signaling at the Immune Synapse.

When B cells encounter membrane-bound antigens, the formation and coalescence of B cell antigen receptor (BCR) microclusters amplifies BCR signaling. The ability of B cells to probe the surface of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and respond to APC-bound antigens requires remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton. Initial BCR signaling stimulates actin-related protein (Arp) 2/3 complex-dependent actin polymerization, which drives B cell spreading as well as the centripetal movement and coalescence of BCR microclusters at the B cell-APC synapse. Sustained actin polymerization depends on concomitant actin filament depolymerization, which enables the recycling of actin monomers and Arp2/3 complexes. Cofilin-mediated severing of actin filaments is a rate-limiting step in the morphological changes that occur during immune synapse formation. Hence, regulators of cofilin activity such as WD repeat-containing protein 1 (Wdr1), LIM domain kinase (LIMK), and coactosin-like 1 (Cotl1) may also be essential for actin-dependent processes in B cells. Wdr1 enhances cofilin-mediated actin disassembly. Conversely, Cotl1 competes with cofilin for binding to actin and LIMK phosphorylates cofilin and prevents it from binding to actin filaments. We now show that Wdr1 and LIMK have distinct roles in BCR-induced assembly of the peripheral actin structures that drive B cell spreading, and that cofilin, Wdr1, and LIMK all contribute to the actin-dependent amplification of BCR signaling at the immune synapse. Depleting Cotl1 had no effect on these processes. Thus, the Wdr1-LIMK-cofilin axis is critical for BCR-induced actin remodeling and for B cell responses to APC-bound antigens.

Mental health and economic concerns from March to May during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada: Insights from an analysis of repeated cross-sectional surveys.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the psychological wellbeing of populations worldwide. In this study, we assess changes in mental health during the early months of the pandemic in Canada and examine its relationship with another prominent problem during this time, economic concerns. METHODS: Analyses were based on two cycles of the nationally representative repeated cross-sectional Canadian Perspectives Survey Series (N=4627 in March and 4600 in May). We described the changes in mental health and economic concerns between March and May, and assessed the relationship between the two characteristics. RESULTS: Mental health declined significantly during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic: the proportion of Canadian adults who reported only good/fair/poor mental health grew from 46% to 52% from March to May. Economic concerns including food insecurity were an important correlate of 'bad' mental health, as was younger age, female gender, and Canada-born status. Contrary to expectations, however, economic concerns lessened during this time frame. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that policies to mitigate economic stress, such as Canada's Emergency Response Benefit, may have eased mental health deterioration in early pandemic months through a reduction in financial hardship. Interventions to increase the economic security of the population will have far-reaching consequences in terms of improved mental health, and should be continued throughout the pandemic.

The Social Significance of Interracial Cohabitation: Inferences Based on Fertility Behavior.

Interracial couples cohabit at higher rates than same-race couples, which is attributed to lower barriers to interracial cohabitation relative to intermarriage. This begs the question of whether the significance of cohabitation differs between interracial and same-race couples. Using data from the 2006-2017 National Survey of Family Growth, we assessed the meaning of interracial cohabitation by comparing the pregnancy risk, pregnancy intentions, and union transitions following a pregnancy among women in interracial and same-race cohabitations. The pregnancy and union transition behaviors of women in White-Black cohabitations resembled those of Black women in same-race cohabitations, suggesting that White-Black cohabitation serves as a substitute to marriage and reflecting barriers to the formation of White-Black intermarriages. The behaviors of women in White-Hispanic cohabitations fell between those of their same-race counterparts or resembled those of White women in same-race cohabitations. These findings suggest that White-Hispanic cohabitations take on a meaning between trial marriage and substitute to marriage and support views that Hispanics with White partners are a more assimilated group than Hispanics in same-race unions. Results for pregnancy intentions deviated from these patterns. Women in White-Black cohabitations were less likely than Black women in same-race cohabitations to have an unintended pregnancy, suggesting that White-Black cohabitations are considered marriage-like unions involving children. Women in White-Hispanic cohabitations were more likely than White and Hispanic women in same-race cohabitations to have an unintended pregnancy, reflecting possible concerns about social discrimination. These findings indicate heterogeneity in the significance of interracial cohabitation and continuing obstacles to interracial unions.

Identification of serine residues in the connexin43 carboxyl tail important for BCR-mediated spreading of B-lymphocytes.

B-lymphocytes recognize antigen via B-cell antigen receptors (BCRs). This binding induces signaling, leading to B-cell activation, proliferation and differentiation. Early events of BCR signaling include reorganization of actin and membrane spreading, which facilitates increased antigen gathering. We have previously shown that the gap junction protein connexin43 (Cx43; also known as GJA1) is phosphorylated upon BCR signaling, and its carboxyl tail (CT) is important for BCR-mediated spreading. Here, specific serine residues in the Cx43 CT that are phosphorylated following BCR stimulation were identified. A chimeric protein containing the extracellular and transmembrane domains of CD8 fused to the Cx43 CT was sufficient to support cell spreading. Cx43 CT truncations showed that the region between amino acids 246-307 is necessary for B-cell spreading. Site-specific serine-to-alanine mutations (S255A, S262A, S279A and S282A) resulted in differential effects on both BCR signaling and BCR-mediated spreading. These serine residues can serve as potential binding sites for actin remodeling mediators and/or BCR signaling effectors; therefore, our results may reflect unique roles for each of these serines in terms of linking the Cx43 CT to actin remodeling.

Decline in Marriage Associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States.

In the social upheaval arising from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we do not yet know how union formation, particularly marriage, has been affected. Using administration records-marriage certificates and applications-gathered from settings representing a variety of COVID-19 experiences in the United States, the authors compare counts of recorded marriages in 2020 against those from the same period in 2019. There is a dramatic decrease in year-to-date cumulative marriages in 2020 compared with 2019 in each case. Similar patterns are observed for the Seattle metropolitan area when analyzing the cumulative number of marriage applications, a leading indicator of marriages in the near future. Year-to-date declines in marriage are unlikely to be due solely to closure of government agencies that administer marriage certification or reporting delays. Together, these findings suggest that marriage has declined during the COVID-19 outbreak and may continue to do so, at least in the short term.

Low birth weight and childhood health: the role of maternal education.

PURPOSE: Low birth weight (LBW) is associated with myriad health and developmental problems in childhood and later in life. Less well-documented is the variation in the relationship between LBW status and subsequent child health by socioeconomic status-such as education levels and income. This article examines whether differences exist in the relationship between LBW and subsequent child health by maternal education. METHODS: We used data from the 1998-2017 National Health Interview Survey to estimate multivariate logistic regression models to determine whether the association between LBW and subsequent child health as measured by general health status, developmental disability, and asthma diagnosis differed by maternal education, net of differences in children's sociodemographic factors, family background, and medical access. RESULTS: The negative association between LBW and subsequent health was typically weaker for children of mothers with less than high school education than it was for children of mothers with higher levels of education. CONCLUSIONS: The findings on the enduring impact of LBW status on child health for all children, especially those born to mothers with higher levels of education, suggest that all children born LBW should be provided appropriate medical and support services to reduce the lifelong repercussions of poor health at birth.

Arp2/3 complex-driven spatial patterning of the BCR enhances immune synapse formation, BCR signaling and B cell activation.

When B cells encounter antigens on the surface of an antigen-presenting cell (APC), B cell receptors (BCRs) are gathered into microclusters that recruit signaling enzymes. These microclusters then move centripetally and coalesce into the central supramolecular activation cluster of an immune synapse. The mechanisms controlling BCR organization during immune synapse formation, and how this impacts BCR signaling, are not fully understood. We show that this coalescence of BCR microclusters depends on the actin-related protein 2/3 (Arp2/3) complex, which nucleates branched actin networks. Moreover, in murine B cells, this dynamic spatial reorganization of BCR microclusters amplifies proximal BCR signaling reactions and enhances the ability of membrane-associated antigens to induce transcriptional responses and proliferation. Our finding that Arp2/3 complex activity is important for B cell responses to spatially restricted membrane-bound antigens, but not for soluble antigens, highlights a critical role for Arp2/3 complex-dependent actin remodeling in B cell responses to APC-bound antigens.

The relationship between low birthweight and childhood health: disparities by race, ethnicity, and national origin.

PURPOSE: Racial/ethnic disparities in rates of low birthweight (LBW) are well established, as are racial/ethnic differences in health outcomes over the life course. Yet, there is little empirical work examining whether the consequences of LBW for subsequent child health vary by race, ethnicity, and national origin. METHODS: Using data from the 1998-2016 National Health Interview Survey, we examined whether racial, ethnic, and national differences existed in the association between LBW and subsequent health outcomes, namely being diagnosed with a developmental disability, asthma diagnosis, and poorer general health. RESULTS: Children born with LBW consistently had poorer health relative to children born with normal birthweight. There was no systematic evidence that the linkages between LBW and subsequent health were weaker for one racial/ethnic/national origin group relative to others. CONCLUSIONS: LBW was associated with subsequent poorer health. There was no systematic evidence that the link between LBW and subsequent child health were weaker for one racial/ethnic/national origin group relative to others. Together, these findings highlight the importance of reducing race/ethnic disparities in rates of LBW as a way of eradicating inequalities in childhood health.