Journal article
Change in birth outcomes among infants born to Latina mothers after a major immigration raid
International journal of epidemiology, Vol.46(3), pp.839-849
06/2017
DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyw346
PMCID: PMC5837605
PMID: 28115577
Abstract
Background:
Growing evidence indicates that immigration policy and
enforcement adversely affect the well-being of Latino immigrants, but fewer studies
examine ‘spillover effects’ on USA-born Latinos. Immigration enforcement is often diffuse,
covert and difficult to measure. By contrast, the federal immigration raid in Postville,
Iowa, in 2008 was, at the time, the largest single-site federal immigration raid in US
history.
Methods:
We employed a quasi-experimental design, examining
ethnicity-specific patterns in birth outcomes before and after the Postville raid. We
analysed Iowa birth-certificate data to compare risk of term and preterm low birthweight
(LBW), by ethnicity and nativity, in the 37 weeks following the raid to the same 37-week
period the previous year (
n
=
52 344). We model risk of
adverse birth outcomes using modified Poisson regression and model distribution of
birthweight using quantile regression.
Results:
Infants born to Latina mothers had a 24% greater risk of LBW after
the raid when compared with the same period 1 year earlier [risk ratio (95% confidence
interval) = 1.24 (0.98, 1.57)]. No such change was observed among infants born to
non-Latina White mothers. Increased risk of LBW was observed for USA-born and immigrant
Latina mothers. The association between raid timing and LBW was stronger among term than
preterm births. Changes in birthweight after the raid primarily reflected decreased
birthweight below the 5th percentile of the distribution, not a shift in mean
birthweight.
Conclusions:
Our findings highlight the implications of racialized stressors
not only for the health of Latino immigrants, but also for USA-born co-ethnics.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Change in birth outcomes among infants born to Latina mothers after a major immigration raid
- Creators
- Nicole L Novak - Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Population Studies Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USAArline T Geronimus - Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Population Studies Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USAAresha M Martinez-Cardoso - Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Population Studies Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- International journal of epidemiology, Vol.46(3), pp.839-849
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- DOI
- 10.1093/ije/dyw346
- PMID
- 28115577
- PMCID
- PMC5837605
- ISSN
- 0300-5771
- eISSN
- 1464-3685
- Grant note
- T32 AG000221; T32 HD007339 / ; ; ;
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/2017
- Academic Unit
- Public Policy Center (Archive); Community and Behavioral Health
- Record Identifier
- 9984215043202771
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