Date of Conferral
5-9-2024
Date of Award
May 2024
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Public Health
Advisor
Diana Naser
Abstract
Premature birth remains the leading cause of neonatal death and is associated with birth defects and long-term health morbidities. Hawai’i, with dominant Pacific Islander, Asian, and White populations, ranks 18th amongst the states with the highest rate of preterm birth. Guided by the social ecological model, the purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional research study was to determine the extent of the association of social risk factors and preterm birth in the state of Hawai’i for the years 2012-2015 using the Hawai’i Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring Systems (PRAMS). Preterm birth in Hawai’i from 2012- 2015 was found to be 17% of all births. Using logistic regression analysis, results of this study revealed preterm birth was significantly associated with maternal race, maternal age, district of maternal residence, and paternal race (p < .05). Black mothers in Hawai’i were twice as likely to experience preterm birth than White mothers. Asian and Filipino mothers followed at 1.8 times greater likelihood of experiencing preterm birth than White mothers. Age was found to have some protective association with preterm birth with mothers in the age group of 20-24 years 48% less likely to experience preterm birth. Urban mothers were 3 times more likely to experience preterm birth. Implications for positive social change include identifying populations vulnerable to preterm birth, facilitating development of programs and projects that target these individuals and groups, alleviating, and eventually eradicating preterm birth.
Recommended Citation
Amposta, Rina Therese Ramos, "The Relationship Between Social Risk Factors and Pre-term Births in Hawai’i" (2024). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 15717.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/15717
