Birth outcomes of patients enrolled in "familias Sanas" research project

Kathryn Connors, Dean V. Coonrod, Patricia Habak, Stephanie Ayers, Flavio Marsiglia

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

Purpose - This chapter examines birth outcomes of patients enrolled in Familias Sanas (Healthy Families), an educational intervention designed to reduce health disadvantages of low-income, immigrant Latina mothers by providing social support during and after pregnancy. Methodology/approach - Using a randomized control-group design, the project recruited 440 pregnant Latina women, 88% of whom were first generation. Birth outcomes were collected through medical charts and analyzed using regression analysis to evaluate if there were any differences between patients enrolled in Familias Sanas compared to those patients who followed a typical prenatal course. Findings - Control and intervention groups were found to be similar with regard to demographic characteristics. In addition, we did not observe a decrease in rate of a number of common pregnancy-related complications. Likewise, rates of operative delivery were similar between the two groups as were fetal weight at delivery and use of regional anesthesia at delivery. Research limitations/implications - The lack of improvements in birth outcomes for this study was perhaps because this social support intervention was not significant enough to override long-standing stressors such as socioeconomic status, poor nutrition, genetics, and other environmental stressors. Originality/value of chapter - This study was set in an inner-city, urban hospital with a large percentage of patients being of Hispanic descent. The study itself is a randomized controlled clinical trial, and data were collected directly from electronic medical records by physicians.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationSocial Determinants, Health Disparities and Linkages to Health and Health Care
PublisherEmerald Group Publishing Ltd.
Pages143-159
Number of pages17
ISBN (Print)9781781905876
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013

Publication series

NameResearch in the Sociology of Health Care
Volume31
ISSN (Print)0275-4959

Keywords

  • Birth outcomes
  • Intervention
  • Latina women
  • Pregnant
  • Social support

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Sociology and Political Science
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Nursing (miscellaneous)

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