The Effects of Health Disparities on Neonatal Outcomes

Crit Care Nurs Clin North Am. 2024 Mar;36(1):11-22. doi: 10.1016/j.cnc.2023.08.006. Epub 2023 Sep 29.

Abstract

The history of racism in the United States was established with slavery, and the carry-over effect continues to impact health care through structural and institutional racism. Racial segregation and redlining have impacted access to quality health care, thereby impacting prematurity and infant mortality rates. Health disparities also impact neonatal morbidities such as intraventricular hemorrhage and necrotizing enterocolitis and the family care experience including the establishment of breastfeeding and health care provider interactions.

Keywords: Breastfeeding; Family experience; Health disparities; Infant mortality; Institutional racism; Prematurity; Structural racism.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Health Inequities
  • Health Status Disparities
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant Mortality
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infant, Premature
  • Infant, Premature, Diseases*
  • Racism*
  • United States / epidemiology