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Race, language, and neighborhood predict high-risk preterm Infant Follow Up Program participation

Journal of Perinatology volume 42, pages 217–222 (2022)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objectives

Infant Follow Up Programs (IFUPs) provide developmental surveillance for preterm infants after hospital discharge but participation is variable. We hypothesized that infants born to Black mothers, non-English speaking mothers, and mothers who live in “Very Low” Child Opportunity Index (COI) neighborhoods would have decreased odds of IFUP participation.

Study design

There were 477 infants eligible for IFUP between 1/1/2015 and 6/6/2017 from a single large academic Level III NICU. Primary outcome was at least one visit to IFUP. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with IFUP participation.

Result

Two hundred infants (41.9%) participated in IFUP. Odds of participation was lower for Black compared to white race (aOR 0.43, p = 0.03), “Very Low” COI compared to “Very High” (aOR 0.39, p = 0.02) and primary non-English speaking (aOR 0.29, p = 0.01).

Conclusion

We identified disparities in IFUP participation. Further study is needed to understand underlying mechanisms to develop targeted interventions for reducing inequities.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge Wenyang Mao for her biostatistical support and consultation.

Funding

This work was supported by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality grant number T32HS000063. YSF was supported by AHRQ grant number T32HS000063 as part of the Harvard-wide Pediatric Health Services Research Fellowship Program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    Yarden S. Fraiman, Jane E. Stewart & Jonathan S. Litt

  2. Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Yarden S. Fraiman, Jane E. Stewart & Jonathan S. Litt

  3. Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Yarden S. Fraiman, Jane E. Stewart & Jonathan S. Litt

  4. Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

    Jonathan S. Litt

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  1. Yarden S. Fraiman
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Contributions

YSF conceptualized and designed the study, carried out the analyses, drafted the initial manuscript, and reviewed and revised the manuscript. JES and JSL conceptualized and designed the study, designed the collection instruments, and reviewed and revised the manuscript. All authors approved the final manuscript as submitted and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

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Correspondence to Yarden S. Fraiman.

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Fraiman, Y.S., Stewart, J.E. & Litt, J.S. Race, language, and neighborhood predict high-risk preterm Infant Follow Up Program participation. J Perinatol 42, 217–222 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-021-01188-2

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