Spatial social polarization and birth outcomes: preterm birth and infant mortality - New York City, 2010-14.

AIMS: This study assessed the relationship between spatial social polarization measured by the index of the concentration of the extremes (ICE) and preterm birth (PTB) and infant mortality (IM) in New York City. A secondary aim was to examine the ICE measure in comparison to neighborhood poverty. METHODS: The sample included singleton births to adult women in New York City, 2010-2014 ( n=532,806). Three ICE measures were employed at the census tract level: ICE - Income (persons in households in the bottom vs top 20th percentile of US annual household income), ICE -Race/Ethnicity (black non-Hispanic vs white non-Hispanic populations), and ICE - Income + Race/Ethnicity combined. Preterm birth was defined as birth before 37 weeks' gestation. Infant mortality was defined as a death before one year of age. A two-level generalized linear model with random intercept was utilized adjusting for individual-level covariates. RESULTS: Preterm birth prevalence was 7.1% and infant mortality rate was 3.4 per 1000 live births. Women who lived in areas with the least privilege were more likely to have a preterm birth or infant mortality as compared to women living in areas with the most privilege. After adjusting for covariates, this association remained for preterm birth (ICE - Income: Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 1.16 (1.10-1.21); ICE - Race/Ethnicity: AOR 1.41 (1.34-1.49); ICE - Income + Race/Ethnicity: AOR 1.36 (1.29-1.43)) and IM (ICE - Race/Ethnicity (AOR 1.80 (1.43-2.28) and ICE - Income + Race/Ethnicity (AOR 1.54 (1.23-1.94)). High neighborhood poverty was associated with PTB only (AOR 1.09 (1.04-1.14). CONCLUSIONS: These results provide preliminary evidence for the use of the ICE measure in examining structural barriers to healthy birth outcomes.

Comparing individual- and area-based socioeconomic measures for the surveillance of health disparities: A multilevel analysis of Massachusetts births, 1989-1991.

The absence of individual-level socioeconomic information in most US health surveillance data necessitates using area-based socioeconomic measures (ABSMs) to monitor health inequalities. Using the 1989-1991 birth weight data from Massachusetts, the authors compared estimates of health disparities detected with census tract- and block group-level ABSMs pertaining to poverty and education, as well as parental education, both independently and together. In separate models, adjusted for infant's sex, mother's age, and parents' race/ethnicity, worst-off categories of census tract ABSMs and parental education had a comparable birth weight deficit of approximately 70 g. Similar results were observed for low birth weight (<2,500 g), with worst-off categories of census tract ABSMs and parental education having an odds ratio of approximately 1.37 (p < 0.001). In mutually adjusted models for birth weight and low birth weight, census tract ABSMs still detected an effect estimate nearly 50% of that detected by parental education. Additionally, census tract ABSMs detected socioeconomic gradients in birth weight among births to mothers aged less than 25 years, an age group in which educational attainment is unlikely to be completed. These results suggest that aptly chosen ABSMs can be used to monitor socioeconomic inequalities in health. The risk, if any, in the absence of individual-level socioeconomic information is a conservative estimate of socioeconomic inequalities in health.

Choosing area based socioeconomic measures to monitor social inequalities in low birth weight and childhood lead poisoning: The Public Health Disparities Geocoding Project (US).

STUDY OBJECTIVES: : To determine which area based socioeconomic measures can meaningfully be used, at which level of geography, to monitor socioeconomic inequalities in childhood health in the US. DESIGN: Cross sectional analysis of birth certificate and childhood lead poisoning registry data, geocoded and linked to diverse area based socioeconomic measures that were generated at three geographical levels: census tract, block group, and ZIP code. SETTING: Two US states: Massachusetts (1990 population=6,016,425) and Rhode Island (1990 population=1,003,464). PARTICIPANTS: All births born to mothers ages 15 to 55 years old who were residents of either Massachusetts (1989-1991; n=267,311) or Rhode Island (1987-1993; n=96 138), and all children ages 1 to 5 years residing in Rhode Island who were screened for lead levels between 1994 and 1996 (n=62,514 children, restricted to first test during the study period). MAIN RESULTS: Analyses of both the birth weight and lead data indicated that: (a) block group and tract socioeconomic measures performed similarly within and across both states, while ZIP code level measures tended to detect smaller effects; (b) measures pertaining to economic poverty detected stronger gradients than measures of education, occupation, and wealth; (c) results were similar for categories generated by quintiles and by a priori categorical cut off points; and (d) the area based socioeconomic measures yielded estimates of effect equal to or augmenting those detected, respectively, by individual level educational data for birth outcomes and by the area based housing measure recommended by the US government for monitoring childhood lead poisoning. CONCLUSIONS: Census tract or block group area based socioeconomic measures of economic deprivation could be meaningfully used in conjunction with US public health surveillance systems to enable or enhance monitoring of social inequalities in health in the United States.

The development, reliability, and validity of a risk factor screening survey for urban minority junior high school students.

PURPOSE: To develop and evaluate a risk factor screening survey as a mechanism to identify inner-city junior high school students who may benefit from medical or mental health services available in school-based clinics. METHODS: A 36-item health risk factor screening survey was developed and administered to 3,787 predominantly Hispanic students from four schools in an economically disadvantaged, medically underserved New York City school district. Students who indicated that they were experiencing one of five major risk factors (suicidality, sexual activity, parental or guardian substance use, personal substance use, or having run away) were scheduled to visit the clinic for services, and to have their survey responses validated by clinic interview. RESULTS: The development of the screening tool resulted in a short, easy to read and understand survey instrument that was feasible to administer within a classroom setting. The reliability of the instrument was excellent, and the results of the validity study indicated that it was successful in identifying students who did not need clinic services. The screening tool produced mixed results in identifying those truly in need through single item identification (e.g., produced a moderate number of "false positives"), although combining items on the screening tool produced much higher positive predictive values. CONCLUSIONS: This screening tool can be used to effectively focus limited clinical resources on those in need. Outreach surveys of this type should be considered as a valuable component of a school-based clinic service delivery strategy.

Carrying and using weapons: A survey of minority junior high school students in New York City.

To explore weapon carrying among young, inner-city adolescents, a survey was administered in fall 1993 to 2005 predominately Hispanic students (mean age = 12.8 years) in three New York City junior high schools. The survey revealed that 21% of students reported personally carrying a weapon; guns and knives were the weapons most commonly carried. Most of those who carried guns reported that they bought them. Forty-two percent indicated that they had a family member or close friend who had been shot. Boys and older students were more likely to report carrying weapons. Preventive efforts may need to begin before or on entry into junior high school rather than high school.