FACTORS RELATED TO ENTRY INTO PRENATAL CARE AMONG WOMEN IN A RURAL AREA OF A SOUTHERN STATE

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Haley Raynor Manning (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: Background: Infant mortality among racial and ethnic minorities is disproportionately higher than that of White infants; a trend that has persisted and increased over time (Center for Disease Control and Prevention , 2015). Research suggests this disparity may be due to timing of entry into prenatal care (PNC) later , as well as numerous other individual and systems factors (Mazul , Salm-Ward , & Ngui , 2017). The purpose of this study was to: 1) collect and analyze data to identify differences in entry into PNC among racial and ethnic groups and 2) determine what characteristics (age , race/ethnicity , marital status , and insurance status) influence entry into PNC. Methodology: A program evaluation was conducted during a 7-week community health clinical practicum. Maternity records from January through December 2016 from a health department in a rural area of a southern state were reviewed. Microsoft Excel was used to organize the following variables: age , race and ethnicity , marital status , and insurance status. Entry into PNC was defined as first trimester (<14 weeks) , second trimester (14-27 weeks) , and third trimester (>27 weeks). Data was collected over a four-week period. Findings: The sample of 628 was composed of Black/Haitian 46.82% , Hispanic/Latino 29.0% , and White 24.2% women. The majority of women (71.3%) entered PNC in the first trimester. Women ages 30-39 , married women , and women of Hispanic/Latino heritage were more likely to enter PNC late. Medicaid recipients were more likely to enter PNC in the first trimester. Conclusion: A targeted outreach initiative to women ages of 30-39 , women who are married , and Hispanic/Latino women in local churches , schools , daycares , and places of employment may be beneficial. Social marketing should include information about the new midwife initiative.

Additional Information

Publication

Thesis

Language: English

Date: 2017

Keywords

Prenatal Care, Racial Disparities, Rural South

Subjects

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