The Culture Corner is a chance for us to focus on and highlight a specific piece of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work. It is a monthly publication from the DEI Department to facilitate difficult conversations surrounding racism, bias and discrimination with your teams.
“Race is a culturally structured systematic definition of a way of
looking at, perceiving and interpreting reality.”
– Professor Audrey Smedley
A Message to Managers
This Culture Corner newsletter is meant to be shared with your team members as the basis for a group discussion and feedback session. For suggestions on how to faciltate your meeting, please contact DEI manager Briandi Little at BDLittle@KaleidaHealth.org or 716-859-2826.
Thank You
Racial Disparities in Birth Outcomes
WEEK 1: Background
Racial inequities begin before birth and continue throughout the lifespan, putting children at a disadvantage in meeting their full potential right from the very start. In Erie County, children born to black mothers are almost twice as likely to be born prematurely and more than twice as likely to die in the first year of life.
The Culture Corner has previously touched on how households of color are more likely to not be able to meet basic needs. Pregnant women who do not have their basic needs met and are undereducated on available resources face considerable barriers to accessing prenatal care.
Inadequate prenatal care is a significant risk factor for premature birth. Local analysis on 2013-2015 birth data provided by Jim Shelton of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University at Buffalo showed that women receiving inadequate prenatal care are 1.5 times more likely to experience premature birth, and those receiving no prenatal care are 5.5 times as likely. Women experiencing financial hardship face unique challenges in obtaining appropriate prenatal care.
America is the most dangerous wealthy country in the world to give birth. This is due, in part, to the dramatic racial disparities in maternal and infant mortality. Toxic stress and bias in medical care mean that women of color are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications. Racism is a public health crisis and it is time to treat it as such.
DID YOU KNOW ...?
On average during 2015-2017 in Erie County, preterm birth rates were highest for Black infants (13.5%), followed by Hispanics (11.1%), American Indian/Alaska Natives (10.5%), Asian/Pacific Islanders (9.2%) and whites (8.6%). In Niagara County, preterm birth rates were highest for Black infants (16%), followed by Hispanic (9.2%), Asian/Pacific Islanders (5.1%) and whites (8.4%). Other counties in Western New York have similar disparities.
- Black infants (13.5%) were about 2 times as likely as white infants (8.6%) to be born preterm during 2015-2017 (average).
- In the United States, prematurity/low birthweight is the second leading cause of all infant deaths during the first year of life and the leading cause of infant death among black infants.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics, period linked birth/infant death data
WEEK 2: Read about how COVID-19 Deepens Maternal Health Disparities Among Women Of Color (3 minutes)
WEEK 3: Watch this PBS video “Why are black mothers and infants far more likely to die in U.S. from pregnancy-related causes?” (10 minutes)
WEEK 4: Read about how amid staggering maternal and infant mortality rates, Native communities are reviving traditional support concepts. (10 minutes)
Questions for discussion:
Black women are at the intersection of race and gender. How does this intersection impact maternal heath disparities?
How might differences in experience and perception influence debates about racism’s impact on the body? What are the consequences?
If you are in need of additional support for Culture Corner, please contact the DEI Department by using the DEI Request Form.
Additional Resources