Public Health and Social Marketing: Aspects of Social, Behavioral, and Biological Influences on Low Birth Weight Risks Among African-Americans in Mississippi

Abstract

Public health nursing and Social Marketing perspectives are used to study biological, social and behavioral influences on low birth weight (LBW) rates among African-American women in Mississippi where African-American LBW and infant mortality rates are double those of Whites. Maternal age, parity, prior fetal loss, preexisting medical risk factors, pregnancy complications, marital status, education, smoking, alcohol use, prenatal care, and weight gain during pregnancy were included. Logistic regression was applied to two samples of Mississippi Vital Records birth certificates representing a fixed number of LBW and non-LBW African-American births. Findings can help health care providers prepare Social Marketing programs to address alternative social supports, weight control, tobacco and alcohol abstinence, and early and continuing prenatal care in this high LBW population, and to educate clinicians regarding potential “red flags” when caring for pregnant African-American women.