Disaggregating Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders’ perinatal health outcomes: a review of research using birth record data
Presenter Biography
Sarah-Truclinh Tran is a 3rd year student in the PhD in Epidemiology program. For her dissertation, she plans to examine how neighborhood factors affect the reproductive and perinatal health outcomes of Asian American and Pacific Islander subgroups. Born in Vietnam and raised in an ethnic enclave in America, she views research as a means for illuminating the needs and lived experiences of marginalized groups, and hopes to work alongside minority communities following her PhD training.
Institution
OHSU
Program/Major
Epidemiology
Degree
PhD
Presentation Type
Presentation
Start Date
4-8-2021 2:31 PM
End Date
4-8-2021 2:42 PM
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/35591
Keywords
Asian American Pacific Islanders; Ethnic subgroups; Perinatal health; Disparities; Epidemiology; Birth records/birth certificates/vital statistics; Literature review; Perinatal health
Abstract
Introduction: Health data for AAPIs are often aggregated, which masks disparities by ethnic subgroup. U.S. birth record data are the only publicly available dataset with detailed AAPI ethnicity and perinatal health information. We reviewed work that used birth records data to examine perinatal health outcomes for AAPI subgroups.
Methods: We performed a MEDLINE search for studies from January 2000 through October 2020 that included AAPI subgroups, used birth record data, and reported perinatal or child outcomes. Information abstracted included study design, setting, subgroups, exposures, outcomes, and how race/ethnicity was analyzed.
Results: Of 48 studies identified, 19 met inclusion criteria, and 10 have been reviewed so far. The majority of studies linked birth record data to another data source, then examined outcomes including child abuse and neglect, pregnancy spacing, and birth defects. Race/ethnicity was typically treated as an exposure variable. Chinese individuals were the most represented and frequently assigned as the referent group. The least mentioned subgroups were Pacific Islanders and Southeast Asians (Laotian, Thai, Cambodian, Hmong). Substantial heterogeneity in outcomes were observed by subgroups. For example, preterm birth occurred more frequently in Southeast Asian groups; the association between higher maternal education and reduced preterm birth was less pronounced in Southeast Asians than in whites and most East Asians.
Conclusion: The diversity of AAPIs are obscured when their data are aggregated. This review can provide insights to researchers interested in AAPI health and in examining outcomes for these groups at a more granular level than is currently practiced.
Disaggregating Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders’ perinatal health outcomes: a review of research using birth record data
Introduction: Health data for AAPIs are often aggregated, which masks disparities by ethnic subgroup. U.S. birth record data are the only publicly available dataset with detailed AAPI ethnicity and perinatal health information. We reviewed work that used birth records data to examine perinatal health outcomes for AAPI subgroups.
Methods: We performed a MEDLINE search for studies from January 2000 through October 2020 that included AAPI subgroups, used birth record data, and reported perinatal or child outcomes. Information abstracted included study design, setting, subgroups, exposures, outcomes, and how race/ethnicity was analyzed.
Results: Of 48 studies identified, 19 met inclusion criteria, and 10 have been reviewed so far. The majority of studies linked birth record data to another data source, then examined outcomes including child abuse and neglect, pregnancy spacing, and birth defects. Race/ethnicity was typically treated as an exposure variable. Chinese individuals were the most represented and frequently assigned as the referent group. The least mentioned subgroups were Pacific Islanders and Southeast Asians (Laotian, Thai, Cambodian, Hmong). Substantial heterogeneity in outcomes were observed by subgroups. For example, preterm birth occurred more frequently in Southeast Asian groups; the association between higher maternal education and reduced preterm birth was less pronounced in Southeast Asians than in whites and most East Asians.
Conclusion: The diversity of AAPIs are obscured when their data are aggregated. This review can provide insights to researchers interested in AAPI health and in examining outcomes for these groups at a more granular level than is currently practiced.