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. 2001 Dec;91(12):1975–1977. doi: 10.2105/ajph.91.12.1975

TABLE 2—

Comparison of Healthy Start Clients and Nonclients by Sociodemographic, Service, and Behavior Variables

Healthy Start Program Status
% Distribution by— Clients (n = 1347) Nonclients (n = 1329) P
Maternal age <20 y 25.0 15.2 <.001
Maternal education less than high school 45.6 36.2 <.005
African American 83.8 66.6 <.001
Household income
    Missing 17.0 16.8 <.05
    <$5000/y 44.6 36.0 . . .
Never married 67.8 53.9 <.001
Parity = 1 44.2 40.4 NS
Pregnancy intended13,14 22.3 28.8 <.05
PNC in private office/HMO 18.8 35.9 <.001
Physician sole PNC provider 58.6 66.4 <.05
Insurance coverage for entire pregnancy 85.6 90.0 NS
Type of insurance
    Medicaid 73.7 67.4 NS
    None 4.3 3.0 . . .
Smoking in pregnancya,13 31.4 32.0 NS
Alcohol use in pregnancya,13 16.4 11.7 NS
Drug use in pregnancya,13 29.8 25.8 NS
Barriers to PNC 15.2 13.3 NS
Start of PNC later than 1st trimester 20.4 17.6 NS
PNC less than adequate15 22.8 18.7 NS
Fewer than all medical procedures performed15 14.4 19.1 NSb
Counseled on fewer than all health topics plus HIV13 44.8 50.9 <.05
Case management16 58.4 28.0 <.0001
No WIC services in pregnancy 16.2 22.7 <.05
Fewer than all postpartum teaching topics 54.7 62.0 <.05
Duration of postpartum stay <24 h 11.2 10.2 NS
Perceived quality of PNC less than excellent17–19 54.2 58.7 NSc
No continuity of obstetric provider 53.5 53.0 NS
No breastfeeding 59.7 54.3 NS
Not receiving food stamps 33.5 40.6 <.05
Not receiving AFDC 42.0 48.8 <.05
Not currently using birth control 47.9 56.7 <.05
Postpartum checkup not completed 37.2 36.1 NS
Well-baby care not started 18.6 20.7 NS
Immunizations not started 15.5 17.1 NS
Less than very satisfied with PNC 15.1 18.9 NSd
Rating of infant'fs health as less than excellent 40.5 46.2 <.05

Note. PNC = prenatal care; HMO = health maintenance organization; WIC = Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children; AFDC = Aid to Families With Dependent Children; NS = not significant.

aAmong those who had smoked, drunk, or used illicit substances.

bP < .06.

cP = .10.

dP = .10