OBJECTIVES: We examined whether education-related inequalities were associated with the occurrence of low birthweight in 6 counties in southern China in the early and late 1990s. METHODS: The study population consisted of 111,181 women (65,669 in the early 1990s and 45,482 in the late 1990s) in a population-based Perinatal Health Care Surveillance System. We used the chi(2) test, logistic regression, and concentration index for our analyses. RESULTS: From the early to late 1990s, the mean maternal education level increased significantly, and the percentage of low-birthweight births declined among all groups, for both male and female births, and at all levels of the mother's education. Relative to those with less than 9 years of formal education, there was a decreasing risk of low birthweight among those with 9 to 11 years of formal education (range in adjusted odds ratio=0.69-0.82) and with 12 or more years of formal education (range in adjusted odds ratio=0.51-0.74). Between the early and late 1990s, the concentration index changed from -0.0778 to -0.0656 for male births and from -0.0717 to -0.0813 for female births. CONCLUSIONS: Education-related inequalities associated with low birthweight persisted from the early to the late 1990s in surveyed areas.
OBJECTIVES: We examined whether education-related inequalities were associated with the occurrence of low birthweight in 6 counties in southern China in the early and late 1990s. METHODS: The study population consisted of 111,181 women (65,669 in the early 1990s and 45,482 in the late 1990s) in a population-based Perinatal Health Care Surveillance System. We used the chi(2) test, logistic regression, and concentration index for our analyses. RESULTS: From the early to late 1990s, the mean maternal education level increased significantly, and the percentage of low-birthweight births declined among all groups, for both male and female births, and at all levels of the mother's education. Relative to those with less than 9 years of formal education, there was a decreasing risk of low birthweight among those with 9 to 11 years of formal education (range in adjusted odds ratio=0.69-0.82) and with 12 or more years of formal education (range in adjusted odds ratio=0.51-0.74). Between the early and late 1990s, the concentration index changed from -0.0778 to -0.0656 for male births and from -0.0717 to -0.0813 for female births. CONCLUSIONS: Education-related inequalities associated with low birthweight persisted from the early to the late 1990s in surveyed areas.
Authors: R J Berry; Z Li; J D Erickson; S Li; C A Moore; H Wang; J Mulinare; P Zhao; L Y Wong; J Gindler; S X Hong; A Correa Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 1999-11-11 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: Carles Muntaner; John W Lynch; Marianne Hillemeier; Ju Hee Lee; Richard David; Joan Benach; Carme Borrell Journal: Int J Health Serv Date: 2002 Impact factor: 1.663
Authors: N Krieger; J T Chen; P D Waterman; M-J Soobader; S V Subramanian; R Carson Journal: J Epidemiol Community Health Date: 2003-03 Impact factor: 3.710