Socioeconomic Differences in Low Birth Weight: Revisiting Epidemiological Approaches

Epidemiological perspectives applied to the study of socioeconomic inequalities in health are characterized by a one-dimensional approach to social differences, as income, occupation, and education are used as interchangeable variables to capture social inequalities. This paper calls into question this assumption by exploring the impact of parent?s education and occupation on their newborns? health status, using the low birth weight indicator. We show that occupation and education, although related, should not be used as interchangeable. This study also challenges the traditional perspective in epidemiology of studying perinatal outcomes focusing exclusively on mother?s information, as it shows that, despite the slightly higher infl uence of the mother?s socioeconomic information, both parents have a key role on their newborn?s birthweight

Diferencias socioeconómicas en el bajo peso al nacer: revisitando enfoques epidemiológicos

Epidemiological perspectives applied to the study of socioeconomic inequalities in health are characterized by a one-dimensional approach to social differences, as income, occupation, and education are used as interchangeable variables to capture social inequalities. This paper calls into question this assumption by exploring the impact of parent?s education and occupation on their newborns? health status, using the low birth weight indicator. We show that occupation and education, although related, should not be used as interchangeable. This study also challenges the traditional perspective in epidemiology of studying perinatal outcomes focusing exclusively on mother?s information, as it shows that, despite the slightly higher infl uence of the mother?s socioeconomic information, both parents have a key role on their newborn?s birthweightEl enfoque epidemiológico aplicado al estudio de las desigualdades sociales en salud se caracteriza por una aproximación unidimensional a la realidad social, utilizando indistintamente la información sobre ingresos, ocupación y educación para identifi car las diferencias sociales. Este trabajo cuestiona dicha asunción; analiza el impacto de la educación y la ocupación de los padres en la salud de sus hijos, utilizando el indicador del bajo peso al nacer. Demostramos que la ocupación y la educación, aunque relacionadas, no deben ser utilizadas de manera intercambiable. Asimismo, este trabajo cuestiona el enfoque tradicional de la epidemiología, que considera exclusivamente la información materna en el estudio de la salud perinatal. Comprobamos que, aunque infl uya ligeramente más la información socioeconómica de la madre, ambos padres tienen un papel fundamental en el peso al nacer de sus hijos

¿Quién era legítimo? Una nueva aproximación al estudio de la filiación de los niños abandonados en La Inclusa de Madrid a principios del siglo XX (1890-1935)*

Con autorización de la revista para autores CSIC[EN] The percentage of legitimate abandoned infants have been used as an indicator of different types of recourses in foundling hospitals. This article introduces a proposal to quantify and qualify this sub-population of infants in the foundling hospital of Madrid, La Inclusa at the beginning of the 20th century. We use a combination of classification and statistical estimation techniques on the database of the foundlings of La Inclusa de Madrid for the period 1890-1935. The percentage of the total number of legitimates could have reached 50% among those not abandoned through the Lying in Hospital and 22% considering all abandonments. Legitimate infants were not an anecdotal case within the abandoned population but they were a key part of the phenomenon with an increasing weight during the period of study[ES] El porcentaje de niños legítimos entre los abandonados ha sido utilizado como un indicador de los distintos tipos de recursos de las casas de expósitos. Este artículo ofrece una propuesta de cuantificación y cualificación del componente de niños legítimos en la Inclusa de Madrid a principios del siglo XX. Se utiliza una combinación de técnicas de clasificación y de estimación estadística sobre la información de la base de datos de abandonos de La Inclusa de Madrid para el periodo 1890-1935.El porcentaje total de legítimos podría haber alcanzado al menos el 50% de aquellos no admitidos a través de la Maternidad y el 22% si se consideran todos los abandonos. Los niños legítimos no eran un caso anecdótico de la población abandonada, sino que formaban parte esencial del fenómeno y con un peso creciente a lo largo de todo el periodo de estudio[FR] Le pourcentage d’enfants légitimes parmi les abandonnés a été utilisé comme un indicateur des différents types de maisons ressources enfants trouvés. Cet article propose une proposition pour la quantification et la qualification de composante légitime des enfants à l’hôpital Foundling de Madrid au début du XXe siècle. Une combinaison de techniques de classification et d’estimation statistique de la base de données Dropout Le Foundling Hospital de Madrid pour la période 1890-1935 est utilisée. Le pourcentage total de légitime atteint au moins 50% de ceux qui ne sont pas admis par la maternité et 22% lors de l’examen tous les décrocheurs. Les enfants légitimes étaient pas un cas anecdotique de la population abandonnée, mais a formé une partie essentielle d’un phénomène croissant et sur le poids entier de la période d’étude* Los proyectos de investigación que permitieron la creación de la base de datos son SEJ2005-06334, CSO-2008-06130/SOCI y CSO-2011-29970, así como la beca de formación de personal investigador BES-2006-13707, desarrollados en el Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas y dirigidos por Diego Ramiro Fariñas. Una primera versión de la primera parte de esta metodología puede verse en: REVUELTA EUGERCIOS, B. A., VILLUENDAS HIJOSA, B., y DEIANA, F.: “La legitimidad de los niños abandonados en la Inclusa de Madrid durante el primer tercio del siglo XX”, comunicación presentada en el VIII Congreso de la Asociación de Demografía Histórica (ADEH), Maó (Menorca), 31 de mayo, 1 y 2 de junio, 2007 y REVUELTA EUGERCIOS, B. A. (2011): “Los usos de la Inclusa de Madrid: mortalidad y retorno a principios del siglo XX (1890-1935)”, Contemporary History, Universidad Complutense de Madrid.Peer reviewe

Semi-natural reciprocal sowing experiment established in maritime pine to study local adaptation at early stages of establishment.

<p>Experimental sites and population's origin are shown in red triangles. Climodiagrams (mean monthly temperature in red and monthly precipitation in blue) of both sites are also given (data from the Spanish National Meteorological Agency, after corrections using Gonzalo's phitoclimatic model for Spain <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0109132#pone.0109132-GonzaloJimnez1" target="_blank">[44]</a>). The experimental design (in the center of the figure) consisted in a split-plot with four replicates in each microenvironment (open canopy, exemplified in the photo on the left side; and closed canopy, the photo on the right side); dark grey and light grey boxes represent the two origins tested (Coca and Calderona).</p

Kaplan-Meier estimators for early survival in Calderona, for two geographically-distant maritime pine origins.

<p>Four functions are shown, each one corresponding to a combination of origin and microenvironment (i.e. open- or closed-canopy cover, see legend in the figure). Differences across origins-microenvironments were highly significant (<i>p</i><0.001), as shown by log-rank tests (see <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0109132#pone.0109132.s005" target="_blank">Table S1</a>).</p

Odds ratios (OR) for the discrete-time logistic survival model.

<p>Number of observations generated: 4,560 (2,188 seedlings)</p><p>Calderona <i>site</i>, Calderona <i>origin</i>, closed canopy, and the second-time interval (between census one and two, c. 20–52 days after seedlings emerged) are the reference levels (given also between parentheses for each factor/model). SE: standard error; CI: confidence intervals.</p><p>Odds ratios (OR) for the discrete-time logistic survival model.</p

Kaplan-Meier estimators for non-emergence (A–B) and early survival (C–D) probability in the reciprocal sowing experiment.

<p>Four functions are shown, each corresponding to a combination of site and microenvironment (i.e. open- or closed-canopy cover, see legend in the figure). Differences across sites-microenvironments were highly significant (<i>p</i><0.001), as shown by log-rank tests (see <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0109132#pone.0109132.s005" target="_blank">Table S1</a>).</p

Maternal Education and Perinatal Outcomes Among Spanish Women Residing in Southern Spain (2001-2011).

Evidence suggests that educational differences in perinatal outcomes have increased in some countries (Eastern Europe) while remained stable in others (Scandinavian countries). However, less is known about the experience of Southern Europe. This study aims to evaluate the association between maternal education and perinatal outcomes derived from birthweight (low birthweight and macrosomia) and gestational age (pre-term and post-term births) among Spaniards living in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia during the period 2001-2011 (around 19 % of births in Spain); and to evaluate whether the educational differences narrowed or widened during that period, which includes both an economic boom (2001-2008) and the global economic crisis (2009-2011). This study uses the Andalusian Population Longitudinal Database and the Vital Statistics Data provided by the Spanish National Statistics Institute. We study live and singleton births of Spanish mothers who lived in Andalusia at the time of delivery (n = 404,951). ORs with 95 % confidence intervals (crude and adjusted) were estimated using multinomial regression models. A negative educational gradient is observed in all perinatal outcomes studied (i.e., the higher the educational status, the lower the risk of negative perinatal outcomes). However, when disaggregating the sample in two periods, the gradient is only statistically significant for pre-term birth during 2001-2008, while a full gradient is observed in all perinatal indicators in the period 2009-2011 with an increase in the educational inequalities in macrosomia and post-term. Further studies are needed in order to confirm whether there is a causal association between the widening of the educational differences in perinatal outcomes and the onset of the economic crisis in Spain, or the widening can be explained by other factors, such as changes in childbearing patterns and the composition of women accessing motherhood