Variations in health and health behaviors by nativity among pregnant Black women in Philadelphia.
OBJECTIVE
We compared health behaviors and health outcomes among US-born, African-born, and Caribbean-born pregnant Black women and examined whether sociodemographic and psychosocial characteristics explained differences among these population subgroups.


METHODS
We analyzed data from a prospective cohort study conducted in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with a series of nested logistic regression models predicting tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use and measures of physical and mental health.


RESULTS
Foreign-born Black women were significantly less likely to engage in substance use and had better self-rated physical and mental health than did native-born Black women. These findings were largely unchanged by adjustment for sociodemographic and psychosocial characteristics. The foreign-born advantage varied by place of birth: it was somewhat stronger for African-born women than for Caribbean-born women.


CONCLUSIONS
Further studies are needed to gain a better understanding of the role of immigrant selectivity and other characteristics that contribute to more favorable health behaviors and health outcomes among foreign-born Blacks than among native-born Blacks in the United States.
Elo
Irma T
IT
Department of Sociology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. popelo@pop.upenn.edu
Culhane
Jennifer F
JF
D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D044383:Black People / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017691:Caribbean Region / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000453:epidemiology; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D015143:Philadelphia / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult; D001741:Black or African American