State Social Expenditures and Preterm Birth and Low Birth Weight in the US.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Adverse birth outcomes in the US, including preterm birth and low birth weight, are strongly tied to socioeconomic disadvantage and disproportionately impact infants of Black mothers. Increasing investments in social programs represents a potential policy approach to addressing disparities in birth outcomes.

Objective

To examine state-level associations of government expenditures on social programs with rates of preterm birth and low birth weight both overall and by race.

Design, setting, and participants

This cross-sectional, ecological study was conducted among liveborn infants in the 50 US states between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2019. Data analysis was performed from May 2022 to May 2024.

Exposures

Yearly state and local government expend

SUBMITTER: Chang L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11581729 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature