Rural Health Research Gateway

Maternal and child health

Publications

Listed by publication date. You can also view these publications alphabetically.

2008

  • Poor Birth Outcome in the Rural United States: 1985-1987 to 1995-1997 (Final Report)
    Author(s): Larson EH, Murowchick E, Hart LG
    Research center: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
    Topics: Children, Health disparities, Maternal and child health
    Report Number: Final Report 119
    Date: 02 / 2008
    Rates of low birthweight, poor outcomes, and inadequate prenatal care among urban and rural areas were evaluated and compared from 1985-1997 using data from the Linked Birth-Death Data Set. The study found that while progress was made in closing rural/urban gaps, rural residence and residence in a persistent poverty county remained independent risk factors for inadequate care and some adverse birth outcomes, especially postneonatal mortality.
  • Poor Birth Outcome in the Rural United States: 1985-1987 to 1995-1997 (Project Summary)
    Author(s): Larson EH, Murowchick E, Hart LG
    Research center: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
    Topics: Children, Health disparities, Maternal and child health
    Report Number: Final Report 119
    Date: 02 / 2008
    Rates of low birthweight, poor outcomes, and inadequate prenatal care among urban and rural areas were evaluated and compared from 1985-1997 using data from the Linked Birth-Death Data Set. The study found that while progress was made in closing rural/urban gaps, rural residence and residence in a persistent poverty county remained independent risk factors for inadequate care and some adverse birth outcomes, especially postneonatal mortality.

2007

  • National Trends in the Perinatal and Infant Health of Rural American Indians (AIs) and Alaska Natives (ANs): Have the Disparities Between AI/ANs and Whites Narrowed?
    Research center: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
    Topics: American Indians and Alaska Natives, Children, Maternal and child health, Minority health, Women
    Date: 09 / 2007
    Brief overview of findings from a study examining trends in prenatal care receipt, low-birthweight rates, neonatal and postneonatal death rates, and cause of death among rural American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) and whites between 1985 and 1997.
  • Why Are Fewer Hospitals in the Delivery Business?
    Author(s): Lan Zhao
    Research center: Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
    Topics: Health services, Hospitals and clinics, Maternal and child health
    Date: 06 / 2007
    Examines the declining availability of hospital-based obstetric services in rural areas from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s. Examines potential causes for this trend and explores the effects of medical malpractice reforms. Report available on request.

2006

  • Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Potentially Avoidable Delivery Complications Among Pregnant Medicaid Beneficiaries in South Carolina
    Author(s): Sarah Laditka, James Laditka, Janice C. Probst
    Research center: South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
    Topics: African Americans, Health disparities, Maternal and child health, Medicaid and S-CHIP, Minority health, Women
    Citation: Maternal and Child Health Journal, 10(4), 339-50
    Date: 2006
    Examined access to health care during pregnancy for mothers insured by Medicaid as well as the risks of potentially avoidable maternity complications among rural and urban hospital deliveries for groups of mothers defined by race or ethnicity. Within groups defined by race or ethnicity, unadjusted rates for potentially avoidable maternity complications did not differ significantly by hospital location. Holding other factors constant, potentially avoidable maternity complications were less common in rural hospitals than in urban hospitals. In rural hospitals, African Americans had notably higher risk for potentially avoidable maternity complications than did non-Hispanic whites. The authors conclude that providers and policymakers should work to reduce the risks of potentially avoidable maternity complications for African American women in rural areas who are insured by Medicaid.

2005

  • Cesarean Section Rates in Rural Hospitals
    Author(s): Sandra Greene, George Holmes, Rebecca Slifkin, Victoria Freeman, Hilda Ann Howard
    Research center: North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
    Topics: Hospitals and clinics, Maternal and child health
    Report Number: Findings Brief No. 79
    Date: 03 / 2005
    Findings Brief examining childbirth delivery patterns in rural hospitals and comparing the C-section rate in rural hospitals to that in urban hospitals using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS). Working Paper No. 80 on this topic is also available.
  • Delivery Complications Associated With Prenatal Care Access for Medicaid-Insured Mothers in Rural and Urban Hospitals
    Author(s): Sarah B. Laditka, James N. Laditka, Kevin J. Bennett, Janice C. Probst
    Research center: South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
    Topics: African Americans, Health services, Maternal and child health, Medicaid and S-CHIP, Women
    Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 21(2), 158-66
    Date: 2005
    Examined access to health care during pregnancy for mothers insured by Medicaid as well as the risks of potentially avoidable maternity complications among rural and urban hospital deliveries for groups of mothers defined by race or ethnicity. Within groups defined by race or ethnicity, unadjusted rates for potentially avoidable maternity complications did not differ significantly by hospital location. Holding other factors constant, potentially avoidable maternity complications were less common in rural hospitals than in urban hospitals. In rural hospitals, African Americans had notably higher risk for potentially avoidable maternity complications than did non-Hispanic whites. The authors conclude that providers and policymakers should work to reduce the risks of potentially avoidable maternity complications for African American women in rural areas who are insured by Medicaid.

2004

  • Impact Of Medicaid Managed Care, Race/Ethnicity, and Rural/Urban Residence On Potentially Avoidable Maternity Complications: A Five-State Multi-Level Analysis
    Author(s): Sarah B. Laditka, James N. Laditka, Kevin J. Bennett, Janice C. Probst
    Research center: South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
    Topics: African Americans, Hispanics, Maternal and child health, Medicaid and S-CHIP, Women
    Date: 12 / 2004
    Complications of pregnancy affect the lives of many women and infants. This study examines pregnancy-related complications using Potentially Avoidable Maternity Complications (PAMCs) as an indicator of access. Findings include: 1) Mothers delivering in rural hospitals had lower PAMC risks than those with urban deliveries.; 2) In rural hospitals, African American women had greater PAMC risks than white women.; and 3) In urban hospitals, adjusted PAMC risks were substantially lower for Hispanics and Asians than for whites. Executive summary available online.
  • Cesarean Section Patterns In Rural Hospitals
    Author(s): Sandra B. Greene, George M. Holmes, Rebecca Slifkin, Victoria Freeman, Hilda Ann Howard
    Research center: North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
    Topics: Hospitals and clinics, Maternal and child health
    Report Number: Working Paper No. 80
    Date: 11 / 2004
    Examines childbirth delivery patterns in rural hospitals and compares the cesarean section (c-section) rate in rural hospitals to that in urban hospitals. The c-section rate for rural hospitals was well above the 10-15% rate recommended by the World Health Organization, and was higher (but not statistically significant) in rural hospitals than in urban hospitals. A Findings Brief on this topic is also available.
  • Development of a Methodology for Assessing the Effect of a Lay Home Visitation Program for Rural High-Risk Women and Infants
    Author(s): Elizabeth A. Erkel, Charity G. Moore, Yvonne Michel
    Research center: South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
    Topics: Health promotion and disease prevention, Maternal and child health, Women
    Date: 02 / 2004
    This pilot study successfully demonstrated that a retrospective, population-based, comparative design is a feasible method for evaluating the effectiveness of a community health worker program for women at risk for poor pregnancy and birth outcomes. Executive summary available online.
  • Effects of Medicaid Managed Care and Medicaid Managed Care Penetration On Potentially Avoidable Maternity Complications
    Research center: South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
    Topics: Maternal and child health, Medicaid and S-CHIP
    Date: 2004
    The effects of Medicaid Managed Care on pregnancy-related complications affecting mothers during their delivery hospitalizations were examined using the Potentially Avoidable Maternity Complications (PAMCs) indicator.
  • Assessing the Effect of a Lay Home Visitation Program for Rural High-Risk Women and Infants
    Research center: South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
    Topics: African Americans, Children, Maternal and child health, Poverty, Women
    Date: 2004
    This pilot study tested a retrospective data set approach for evaluating the effectiveness of a community health worker program at improving pregnancy and birth outcomes. The home visitation program uses lay health workers to provide health education, referral, and social support to rural, low income, Medicaid-insured pregnant African American women and their infants.

2002

  • Perinatal and Infant Health Among Rural and Urban American Indians/Alaska Natives
    Author(s): Laura-Mae Baldwin, David C. Grossman, Susan Casey, Walter Hollow, Jonathan R. Sugarman, William L. Freeman, L. Gary Hart
    Research center: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
    Topics: American Indians and Alaska Natives, Children, Maternal and child health, Rural statistics and demographics
    Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 92(9), 1491-1497
    Date: 09 / 2002
    Provides a national profile of rural and urban American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) maternal and infant health.

1997

  • Access to Maternity Care in Rural Washington: Its Effect on Neonatal Outcomes and Resource Use
    Author(s): Thomas S. Nesbitt, Eric H. Larson Roger A. Rosenblatt, L Gary Hart
    Research center: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
    Topics: Children, Health services, Maternal and child health
    Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 87(1), 85-90
    Date: 01 / 1997
    Compares birth outcomes for areas with poor health care access to those with adequate health care access in rural Washington state.

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This web site includes content provided by and adapted from the Maine Rural Health Research Center, University of Southern Maine under a Cooperative Agreement with the University of North Dakota.