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. 1998 Apr;88(4):651–656. doi: 10.2105/ajph.88.4.651

Infant mortality differences between whites and African Americans: the effect of maternal education.

R Din-Dzietham 1, I Hertz-Picciotto 1
PMCID: PMC1508444  PMID: 9551012

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Despite decreasing infant mortality in North Carolina, the gap between African Americans and Whites persists. This study examined how racial differences in infant mortality vary by maternal education. METHODS: Data came from Linked Birth and Infant Death files for 1988 through 1993. Multiple logistic regression models adjusted for confounders. RESULTS: Infant mortality risk ratios comparing African Americans and Whites increased with higher levels of maternal education. Education beyond high school reduced risk of infant mortality by 20% among Whites but had little effect among African Americans. CONCLUSIONS: Higher education magnifies racial differences in infant mortality on a multiplicative scale. Possible reasons include greater stress, fewer economic resources, and poorer quality of prenatal care among African Americans.

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Selected References

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