title: Indicators of acculturation related to Somali refugee women's birth outcomes in Minnesota.
abstract: We investigated the effect of indicators of acculturation among Somali refugee women's birth outcomes. Data were extracted from medical records of 584 Somali women delivering infants at a Midwestern hospital between 1993 and 2006. Bivariate analyses measured relationships between independent factors and the dependent variables of gestational age and birthweight. Structural equation modeling (SEM) determined the fit between factors hypothesized to reflect acculturation and the data. Significant increases noted over time were substance use/exposure, interpreter use, body mass index, hemoglobin levels, gestational diabetes and preterm birth. Bivariate analyses showed significance between prenatal care utilization and both preterm birth and gestational age. SEM results indicated a moderate to good fit between the hypothesized model and available data. Factors hypothesized to reflect acculturation and effect birth outcomes among Somali women are increasing but did not account for increased preterm birth. Further investigation is warranted to identify and truncate further disparate birth outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Mayo Clinic Office of Women's Health, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. flynn.priscilla@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Priscilla M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Flynn
authors.forename: E Michael
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: Brian C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Brost
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000208:ethnology; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000208:ethnology*; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000208:ethnology; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012036:Refugees / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D012998:Somalia / Q000208:ethnology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins