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Open Access 01-12-2022 | Premature Birth | Research

Association between preterm births and socioeconomic development: analysis of national data

Authors: Marina Sanches Montemor, Gabriella Ferreira Demarque, Agatha Sacramento Rodrigues, Rossana Pulcinelli Vieira Francisco, Mario Henrique Burlacchini de Carvalho

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2022

Abstract

Background

The increasing prevalence of preterm birth, which is a global phenomenon, is attributable to the increased medical indications, artificial gestations, and some socioeconomic factors. This study was conducted to identify whether development and equality indices are associated with the incidence of preterm birth, specifically, spontaneous and elective preterm births.

Methods

This retrospective observational study comprised an analysis of data on live births from 2019 in Brazil and on socioeconomic indices that were derived from census information in 2017. Data were summarised using absolute and relative frequencies. Spearman’s correlation was used to determine the correlation between socioeconomic factors and the preterm birth rate. Multiple beta regression analysis was performed to determine the best model of socioeconomic covariates and preterm birth rate. The significance level was set at 5%.

Results

In 2019 in Brazil, the preterm birth rate was 11.03%, of which 58% and 42% were spontaneous and elective deliveries, respectively. For all preterm births, Spearman’s correlation varied from ρ = 0.4 for the Gini Index and ρ = − 0.24 for illiteracy. The best fit modelled the spontaneous preterm birth fraction as a negative function of the Human Development Index (HDI). The best-fit model considered the expected elective preterm birth fraction as a positive function of the HDI and as a negative function of the Gini Index, which was used as a precision parameter.

Conclusions

We observed a reduction in the fraction of spontaneous preterm births; however, the distribution was not uniform in the territory: higher rates of spontaneous preterm birth were noticed in the north, northeast, and mid-west regions. Thus, areas with lower education levels and inequal income distribution have a higher proportion of spontaneous preterm birth. The fraction of elective preterm birth was positively associated with more advantaged indices of socioeconomic status.

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Title: Association between preterm births and socioeconomic development: analysis of national data
Authors: Marina Sanches Montemor
Gabriella Ferreira Demarque
Agatha Sacramento Rodrigues
Rossana Pulcinelli Vieira Francisco
Mario Henrique Burlacchini de Carvalho
Publication date: 01-12-2022
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keyword: Premature Birth
Published in: BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2022
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14376-2

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Springer Medicine

Association between preterm births and socioeconomic development: analysis of national data

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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