Psychosocial factors and preterm birth among African American and White women in central North Carolina.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed associations between psychosocial factors and preterm birth, stratified by race in a prospective cohort study.


METHODS
We surveyed 1898 women who used university and public health prenatal clinics regarding various psychosocial factors.


RESULTS
African Americans were at higher risk of preterm birth if they used distancing from problems as a coping mechanism or reported racial discrimination. Whites were at higher risk if they had high counts of negative life events or were not living with a partner. The association of pregnancy-related anxiety with preterm birth weakened when medical comorbidities were taken into account. No association with preterm birth was found for depression, general social support, or church attendance.


CONCLUSIONS
Some associations between psychosocial variables and preterm birth differed by race.
Carolina Population Center, CB 8120, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8120, USA. nancy_dole@unc.edu
Nancy
N
Dole
David A
DA
Savitz
Anna Maria
AM
Siega-Riz
Irva
I
Hertz-Picciotto
Michael J
MJ
McMahon
Pierre
P
Buekens
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000193:education / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D001723:Birth Rate / Q000208:ethnology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D011340:Problem Solving; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044465:White People / Q000193:education / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data