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Review
. 2020 Jan;87(2):227-234.
doi: 10.1038/s41390-019-0513-6. Epub 2019 Jul 29.

The color of health: how racism, segregation, and inequality affect the health and well-being of preterm infants and their families

Andrew F Beck  1   2 , Erika M Edwards  3   4   5 , Jeffrey D Horbar  6   7 , Elizabeth A Howell  8   9   10 , Marie C McCormick  11   12   13 , DeWayne M Pursley  11   13
Affiliations
Review

The color of health: how racism, segregation, and inequality affect the health and well-being of preterm infants and their families

Andrew F Beck et al. Pediatr Res. 2020 Jan.

Abstract

Racism, segregation, and inequality contribute to health outcomes and drive health disparities across the life course, including for newborn infants and their families. In this review, we address their effects on the health and well-being of newborn infants and their families with a focus on preterm birth. We discuss three causal pathways: increased risk; lower-quality care; and socioeconomic disadvantages that persist into infancy, childhood, and beyond. For each pathway, we propose specific interventions and research priorities that may remedy the adverse effects of racism, segregation, and inequality. Infants and their families will not realize the full benefit of advances in perinatal and neonatal care until we, collectively, accept our responsibility for addressing the range of determinants that shape long-term outcomes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Interventions to reduce racial and ethnic inequalities in preterm birth. Three causal pathways through which racism, segregation, and inequality impact the health and well-being of preterm infants and their families with selected interventions to address each of them (more extensive list in appendix)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

References

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