"Risk Factors of Infant Mortality Among Sub-Saharan Immigrants in the U" by Roland Lankah

Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Health

Advisor

Hadi Danawi

Abstract

While prepregnancy body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain (GWG), and birthplace have been suggested to play a key role in predicting infant mortality outcomes, they have not been thoroughly investigated across all races/ethnicities. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between prepregnancy BMI, GWG, birthplace as independent variables, and infant mortality as the outcome variable within the United States Sub-Saharan African Immigrants (SSAI). A quantitative cross-sectional study design grounded in the biopsychosocial model was used. Data were extracted from the 2017-2018 natality-linked birth/infant death file from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wonder Database. It included 1,877 child-bearing mothers between ages 15 and 49. Simple and stepwise multiple logistic regressions were conducted using SPSS Version 25. The key findings revealed that BMI (underweight and obese with normal-weight as a reference) were significant with the following odds ratio respectively (OR = 22.628; 95% CI = 2.868, 178.555; p = .000), and (OR = 1.903; 95% CI = 1.416, 2.558; p =.000). Only BMI (normal and obese) stratified by inadequate and excessive GWGs, respectively showed significant associations (OR =1.469; 95% CI = 1.151, 1.875; p = .002), (OR =1.362; 95% CI = 1.061, 1.748; p = .015). Infant mortality varied largely by birthplace with Cameroon (OR=10.535; p = .000); Kenya (OR= 8.195; p =.000); Liberia (OR = 5.945; p =.000); Sudan (OR = 5.054; p =.000); Congo (OR = 4.538; p =.000); and Ghana (OR = 2.268; p=.00) showing strong predictors, respectively. The study provided clinical and public health knowledge to help improve infant mortality outcomes within the U.S. SSAI population therefore creating a positive social change.

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Epidemiology Commons

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