Reproductive health surveillance in the US-Mexico border region, 2003-2006: the Brownsville-Matamoros Sister City Project for Women's Health.
BACKGROUND
High birth and immigration rates in the US-Mexico border region have led to large population increases in recent decades. Two national, 10 state, and more than 100 local government entities deliver reproductive health services to the region's 14 million residents. Limited standardized information about health risks in this population hampers capacity to address local needs and assess effectiveness of public health programs.


METHODS
We worked with binational partners to develop a system for reproductive health surveillance in the sister communities of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, and Cameron County, Texas, as a model for a broader regional approach. We used a stratified, systematic cluster-sampling design to sample women giving birth in hospitals in each community during an 81-day period (August 21-November 9) in 2005. We conducted in-hospital computer-assisted personal interviews that addressed prenatal, behavioral, and lifestyle factors. We evaluated survey response rates, data quality, and other attributes of effective surveillance systems. We estimated population coverage using vital records data.


RESULTS
Among the 999 women sampled, 947 (95%) completed interviews, and the item nonresponse rate was low. The study sample included 92.7% of live births in Matamoros and 98.3% in Cameron County. Differences between percentage distributions of birth certificate characteristics in the study and target populations did not exceed 2.0. Study population coverage among hospitals ranged from 92.9% to 100.0%, averaging 97.3% in Matamoros and 97.4% in Cameron County.


CONCLUSIONS
Results indicate that hospital-based sampling and postpartum interviewing constitute an effective approach to reproductive health surveillance. Such a system can yield valuable information for public health programs serving the growing US-Mexico border population.
McDonald
Jill A
JA
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Reproductive Health, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, Mailstop K-22, Atlanta, GA 30341-3724, USA. ezm5@cdc.gov
Johnson
Christopher H
CH
Smith
Ruben
R
Folger
Suzanne G
SG
Chavez
Ana L
AL
Mishra
Ninad
N
Hernández Jiménez
Antonio
A
MacDonald
Linda R
LR
Hernández Rodríguez
Jorge Sebastián
JS
Villalobos
Susie Ann
SA
D003625:Data Collection / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006739:Hospital Administration; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D008800:Mexico; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011159:Population Surveillance; D034121:Reproductive Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013781:Texas; D014932:Women's Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*
Salud Publica Mex. 2006 Jan-Feb;48(1):3-12
16555529
Prev Chronic Dis. 2008 Oct;5(4):A128
18793516
MMWR Recomm Rep. 2001 Jul 27;50(RR-13):1-35; quiz CE1-7
18634202
Public Health Rep. 2006 Jan-Feb;121(1):74-83
16416701
Prev Chronic Dis. 2008 Oct;5(4):A117
18793505
MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2007 Aug 10;56(31):785-9
17687243
Sex Transm Dis. 2008 Mar;35(3):263-8
18032996
MMWR Surveill Summ. 2004 Aug 27;53(6):1-36
15329648
Prev Chronic Dis. 2008 Oct;5(4):A120
18793508
Prev Chronic Dis. 2008 Oct;5(4):A116
18793504
Prev Chronic Dis. 2008 Oct;5(4):A121
18793509