California Public Health Department Marks Black Infant Health Week
In 2004, there were 13.6 deaths per 1,000 births among black infants nationally, compared with 5.7 deaths among white infants, 5.5 deaths among Hispanic infants and 4.5 deaths among Asian infants.
CDC has said that the gap is related to an increased risk of black infants being born with low or very low birthweights. In addition, access to care and lifestyle habits can influence infant mortality rates. In addition, socioeconomic factors and racism can play a role, according to CDC.
In California, state programs focus on boosting the quantity and quality of care that black women receive and supporting healthy lifestyles. For example, San Mateo County's maternal and child health program focuses on helping women overcome the effects of discrimination and financial hardship, program Director Anand Chabra said. The county's mortality rates for black infants declined by more than 50% from 1990 to 2004 (Bohan, Contra Costa Times, 2/20).
Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation© 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
California de Sãnãtate Publicã mãrci de copil negru de sãnãtate sãptãmânã - California Public Health Department Marks Black Infant Health Week - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate