Study of Selected Birth Defects among American Indian/Alaska Native Population: A Multi‐State Population‐based Retrospective Dtudy, 1999–2007
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-2018
Keywords
Alaska Natives, American Indians, birth defects surveillance, congenital abnormalities, population health
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1002/bdr2.1397
Abstract
Background: Higher prevalence of selected birth defects has been reported among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) newborns. We examine whether known risk factors for birth defects explain the higher prevalence observed for selected birth defects among this population.
Methods: Data from 12 population‐based birth defects surveillance systems, covering a birth population of 11 million from 1999 to 2007, were used to examine prevalence of birth defects that have previously been reported to have elevated prevalence among AI/ANs. Prevalence ratios (PRs) were calculated for non‐Hispanic AI/ANs and any AI/ANs (regardless of Hispanic ethnicity), adjusting for maternal age, education, diabetes, and smoking, as well as type of case‐finding ascertainment surveillance system.
Results: After adjustment, the birth prevalence of two of seven birth defects remained significantly elevated among AI/ANs compared to non‐Hispanic whites (NHWs): anotia/microtia was almost threefold higher, and cleft lip +/− cleft palate was almost 70% higher compared to NHWs. Excluding AI/AN subjects who were also Hispanic had only a negligible impact on adjusted PRs.
Conclusions: Additional covariates accounted for some of the elevated birth defect prevalences among AI/ANs compared to NHWs. Exclusion of Hispanic ethnicity from the AI/AN category had little impact on birth defects prevalences in AI/ANs. NHWs serve as a viable comparison group for analysis. Birth defects among AI/ANs require additional scrutiny to identify modifiable risk and protective factors.
Was this content written or created while at USF?
Yes
Citation / Publisher Attribution
Birth Defects Research, v. 110, issue 19, p. 1412-1418
Scholar Commons Citation
Marengo, Lisa K.; Flood, Timothy J.; Ethen, Mary K.; Kirby, Russell S.; Fisher, Sarah; Copeland, Glenn; Meyer, Robert E.; Dunn, Julie; Canfield, Mark A.; Anderson, Tom; Yazzie, Del; and Mai, Cara T., "Study of Selected Birth Defects among American Indian/Alaska Native Population: A Multi‐State Population‐based Retrospective Dtudy, 1999–2007" (2018). Community and Family Health Faculty Publications. 33.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/cfh_facpub/33
