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Did low birthweight among US Blacks really increase?

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  • David, R.J.

Abstract

The low birthweight (LBW) rate among reported United States non-White births increased 32 per cent from 1950 to 1967. States with large increments in non-White LBW rates over the period 1950-67 ('rising LBW states') were compared to states with more stable LBW rates. Paradoxically, states with the most deterioration in LBW rates had the most improvement in LBW risk factors (low income, mothers under age 20 or over age 35, birth order over four). In 1950, at least 9.7 per cent of non-White births in rising LBW states went unreported, and underreporting was biased, with out-of-hospital LBW births who die young least likely to be reported. From 1950 to 1967, non-White out-of-hospital births for the US declined from 42 per cent to 7 per cent, and yearly values for per cent of non-White births in hospital and LBW rates were highly correlated (r = .98). These data suggest that the observed rise in non-White LBW rates from 1950 to 1967 was due in large part to systematic underreporting of LBW births among non-White out-of-hospital deliveries in the 1950s. This underreporting essentially ceased when hospital delivery for non-Whites became nearly universal in the late 1950s and 1960s.

Suggested Citation

  • David, R.J., 1986. "Did low birthweight among US Blacks really increase?," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 76(4), pages 380-384.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:1986:76:4:380-384_5
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    Cited by:

    1. Theodore Joyce & Andrew D. Racine & Naci Mocan, 1992. "The Consequences and Costs of Maternal Substance Abuse in New York City," NBER Working Papers 3987, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Naci H. Mocan & Kudret Topyan, 1993. "Illicit Drug Use and Health: Analysis and Projections of New York City Birth Outcomes Using a Kalman Filter Model," NBER Working Papers 4359, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Michael Greenstone & Kenneth Y. Chay, 2000. "The Convergence in Black-White Infant Mortality Rates during the 1960's," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 90(2), pages 326-332, May.

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