New Paper by Lynae Brayboy, Kiara Lee and Kathryn Thomson
STEMJazz alums Lynae Brayboy, Kiara Lee and Kathryn Thomson just published a new paper.
In one of the very first STEMJazz talks, Lynae laid out her study of granulosa cells and their role(s) in human fertility. But Lynae had a problem – harvesting these teensy slipper cells was hard. Kiara, then a graduate student studying microfluidics, thought she had an answer, and a collaboration was born! Kathryn, who tore her way through SPH as a grad student studying health disparities, soon found herself in the collaborative mix.
Leavened by their shared profound interest in health disparities, this new paper is a labor of love: The Association of Racism and Discrimination Disparities of Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy in the United States: An Analysis of PRAMS Data
Background
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a leading cause of maternal mortality. Racial disparities in maternal outcomes such as maternal mortality in the United States (US) are well-documented, but the relationship of racism and/or discrimination with one’s risk of developing a hypertension during pregnancy (HDP) is not well-studied.
Methods
Data from 17 sites that asked questions regarding experiences with racism and/or discrimination during pregnancy via the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) Phase 8 (2016–2020) was used. Logistic regression models were used compare the potential of stress induced HDP from perceived experiences of racism and/or discrimination versus the effect of systemic racism and/or discrimination (in healthcare settings and generally) on racial disparities in HDP diagnosis.
Results
Among 9,907 live births, 18% of participants reported they were diagnosed with hypertension during pregnancy, with non-Hispanic Black individuals having the highest rate (21.8%). Regarding experiences of racism and/or discrimination, 76.4% of participants responded “yes”, with all races/ethnicities studied here except non-Hispanic White individuals responding “yes” at rates higher than 89%. Perceived experiences of racism and/or discrimination did not statistically significantly affect one’s odds of being diagnosed with HDP (OR = 0.94, CI: 0.74, 1.20). The disparity in odds of having hypertension during pregnancy between Non-Hispanic Black individuals and non-Hispanic White individuals was not statistically significant when perceived experiences of racism and/or discrimination were included in the model.
Conclusions
Experiences of racism and/or discrimination drive racial disparities in hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.
Public Health Implications
It is vital to eliminate racist and discriminatory practices and behaviors to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality.
