Determinants of inadequate prenatal care utilization by African American women.
A convenience sample of city-dwelling African American women (n=246) was interviewed during each woman's postpartum stay at one of five hospitals in Washington, D.C. to determine their perceptions of factors influencing their prenatal care utilization. The Kotelchuck Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilization Index was used to classify prenatal care utilization as either adequate (Adequate Plus and Adequate groups combined) or inadequate (Intermediate and Inadequate groups combined). Of the 246 women studied, 40% (99) had adequate prenatal care utilization. Using Classification and Regression Trees analysis, the following risk groups for inadequate prenatal care utilization were identified: women who reported psychosocial problems as barriers and who were not participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) (percent adequate=8.8); women who reported psychosocial problems as barriers, were participants of the WIC program, and reported substance use (percent adequate=13.8); and women who reported psychosocial problems as barriers, were participants of the WIC program, denied substance use, and reported childcare problems as barriers (percent adequate=20.0).
Division of Allied Health Sciences in College of Pharmacy, Nursing and Allied Health Sciences at Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA. ajohnson@howard.edu
Allan A
AA
Johnson
Barbara J
BJ
Hatcher
M Nabil
MN
El-Khorazaty
Renee A
RA
Milligan
Brinda
B
Bhaskar
Margaret F
MF
Rodan
Leslie
L
Richards
Barbara K
BK
Wingrove
Haziel A
HA
Laryea
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D001294:Attitude to Health; D004219:District of Columbia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D011203:Poverty; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014505:Urban Population