TABLE 1.
Baseline Characteristics of Native-Born and Foreign-Born Pregnant Black Women: Philadelphia, PA, 1999–2004
| Total (n = 3101), % or Mean (SD) | US Born (n = 2816), % or Mean (SD) | Foreign Born (n = 285), % or Mean (SD) | Pa | Foreign Born |
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| African Born (n = 106), % or Mean (SD) | Caribbean Born (n = 179), % or Mean (SD) | |||||
| Self-reported physical health fair or poor | 10.7 | 11.3 | 4.6 | .001 | 2.9 | 5.6 |
| Obeseb | 25.1 | 25.8 | 18.6 | .027 | 17.9 | 19.0 |
| Self-reported mental health fair or poor | 18.4 | 19.5 | 7.0 | .001 | 6.6 | 7.3 |
| Depressive symptomsc | 22.0 | 21.7 | 25.6 | .125 | 22.6 | 27.4 |
| Smokingd | 20.0 | 21.7 | 3.9 | .001 | 1.9 | 5.0 |
| Alcohol usee | 34.3 | 35.6 | 22.1 | .001 | 14.2 | 26.8 |
| Marijuana usee | 21.0 | 22.7 | 4.2 | .001 | 0.9 | 6.2 |
| Age, y | 24.2 (5.8) | 23.9 (5.7) | 27.5 (6.4) | .001 | 28.8 (5.9) | 26.7 (6.6) |
| Marital status | .001 | |||||
| Single | 81.5 | 84.2 | 55.1 | 46.2 | 60.3 | |
| Married/cohabiting | 16.5 | 14.0 | 41.0 | 50.0 | 35.8 | |
| Other | 2.0 | 1.8 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.9 | |
| Educational attainment | .001 | |||||
| < High school | 33.4 | 34.7 | 21.1 | 12.3 | 26.3 | |
| High school | 47.2 | 47.6 | 42.8 | 39.6 | 44.7 | |
| > High school | 19.4 | 17.7 | 36.1 | 48.1 | 29.0 | |
| Material hardship indexf | .001 | |||||
| Low | 34.9 | 35.8 | 25.6 | 32.1 | 21.8 | |
| Moderate | 26.7 | 27.1 | 22.9 | 22.6 | 22.9 | |
| High | 21.2 | 20.9 | 24.4 | 21.7 | 25.1 | |
| Very high | 17.2 | 16.2 | 28.0 | 23.6 | 30.2 | |
| Material support lowg | 16.7 | 15.9 | 24.2 | .001 | 24.5 | 24.0 |
| Objective stress scoreh | 3.8 (2.4) | 3.9 (2.4) | 3.0 (2.3) | .001 | 2.7 (2.0) | 3.1 (2.5) |
Difference between US-born and foreign-born women.
Body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or higher, calculated from self-reported prepregnancy height and weight.
Score of 23 or higher on Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale.
During pregnancy.
In 12 months before pregnancy.
Derived from 5 questions (range = 1–5) regarding inability to pay monthly bills and to afford food, leisure activities, medical care, and clothing (low = < 7; moderate = 7–10; high = 11–15; very high ≥ 16).
Dichotomous measure based on a yes (high) or no (low) response to all of the following: Do you know someone who (1) would take you to the doctor? (2) would loan you $100? (3) would help you with daily chores if you were sick? (4) you could talk to about problems? and (5) would watch your children?
Composite measure assessing housing, interpersonal conflict, material hardship, and neighborhood danger. Range = 0–13.