Using Population Informatics Framework to Understand Health Disparities in Maternal Health and Infant Outcomes in Florida

Introduction: In 2015, 7 out of 10 deliveries in Florida were to Hispanic and African American women. To better understand the protective and risk factors associated with maternal health and birth outcomes particularly related to health disparities; we developed a 15-year linked data repository of 38 health indicators on all Florida women and children. Health disparities exist in multiple facets of the health care system, especially in maternal and child health. Understanding both protective and risk factors linked to maternal health and adverse birth outcomes are essential to lessening gaps and improving outcomes particularly for minority women and children.

Method: The Family Data Center repository annually links population-level datasets from three state agencies serving women: the Department of Health, the Agency for Health Care Administration and the Department of Children and Families. From this repository we compared maternal and infant health status indicators in three race/ethnicity groups – Hispanic, African American, and Caucasian- among women. For instances, we examined rates of inadequate prenatal care, mothers who plan to breastfeed, pre-pregnancy obesity, and preterm birth in over 200,000 deliveries in Florida between 2014 and 2015.

Results: Among women in 2015, Caucasian (10.9%) showed significantly lower percentage of inadequate prenatal care compared to African American (16.7%) and Hispanic (13%) women. African American (33.2%) women also showed significantly higher rates of pre-pregnancy obesity compared to Caucasian (20.2%) and Hispanic (21.8%) women. Mothers who plan to breastfeed had Hispanic (90.4%) at a considerably higher percentage compared to African Americans (74.8%) and Caucasian (86.4%) women. Finally, preterm births among African Americans (15%) are significantly higher compared to Hispanic (11.1%) and Caucasian (8.5%).

Conclusion: This linked repository allows health care providers, state, and local agencies to understand patterns associated with race/ethnicity and birth outcomes. This is particularly important in understanding the social, cultural, and contextual factors associated with the access to care and health outcomes. In addition, health care providers are offered a better understanding as to why Hispanic women tend to have more similar outcomes as Caucasian women compared to African American, which will contribute to improving maternal and child health.