Worry about racial discrimination: A missing piece of the puzzle of Black-White disparities in preterm birth?

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

The causes of the large and persistent Black-White disparity in preterm birth (PTB) are unknown. It is biologically plausible that chronic stress across a woman's life course could be a contributor. Prior research suggests that chronic worry about experiencing racial discrimination could affect PTB through neuroendocrine, vascular, or immune mechanisms involved in both responses to stress and the initiation of labor. This study aimed to examine the role of chronic worry about racial discrimination in Black-White disparities in PTB.

Methods

The data source was cross-sectional California statewide-representative surveys of 2,201 Black and 8,122 White, non-Latino, U.S.-born postpartum women with singleton live births during 2011-2014. Chronic worry about racial discr

SUBMITTER: Braveman P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5636124 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature