title: Racial and ethnic disparities in personal capital during pregnancy: findings from the 2007 Los Angeles Mommy and Baby (LAMB) study.
abstract: The objectives of this study were to determine if racial and ethnic differences in personal capital during pregnancy exist and to estimate the extent to which any identified racial and ethnic differences in personal capital are related to differences in maternal sociodemographic and acculturation characteristics. Data are from the 2007 Los Angeles Mommy and Baby study (n = 3,716). Personal capital comprised internal resources (self-esteem and mastery) and social resources (partner, social network, and neighborhood support) during pregnancy. The relationships between race/ethnicity and personal capital were assessed using multivariable generalized linear models, examining the impact of sociodemographic and acculturation factors on these relationships. Significant racial and ethnic disparities in personal capital during pregnancy exist. However, socioeconomic status (i.e., income and education) and marital status completely explained Black-White disparities and Hispanic-White disparities in personal capital, whereas acculturation factors, especially nativity and language spoken at home, partially mediated the disparities in personal capital between Asian/Pacific Islander women and White women. Findings suggest that the risks associated with low socioeconomic status, single motherhood, and low acculturation, rather than race or ethnicity, contribute to low personal capital for many pregnant women. As personal capital during pregnancy may influence subsequent maternal and child health outcomes, the development of interventions should consider addressing sociodemographic and acculturation factors in order to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in personal capital and ultimately in poor maternal and child health outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 310 North Midvale Blvd., Ste 201, Madison, WI, 53705, USA. wakeel@wisc.edu.|Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI, USA. wakeel@wisc.edu.
authors.forename: Fathima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wakeel
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Whitney P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Witt
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Lauren E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Wisk
authors.affiliation: Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20857, USA.|Center for Healthier Children, Families, and Communities, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.|Department of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.|Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Los Angeles County Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Programs, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Shin M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Chao
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016014:Linear Models; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D017533:Marital Status; D008423:Maternal Age; D054525:Minority Health; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012649:Self Concept; D012923:Social Class; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult