Black Infant Mortality In Florida

The number of black babies dying in Florida has remained at an all-time high, despite efforts to address the issue. An expert panel has recently called for changes in the health-care system. Dr. Brad Greenwood, an associate professor at George Mason University, presented his findings at a medical school. He believes this is largely due to a lack of data about the Hispanic community. To help prevent further infant deaths, he argues that racial bias education and inclusion programs should be implemented in hospitals and medical centers.

Prenatal care

Prenatal care is important, but the question remains: How much of it matters? Researchers recently analyzed 1.8 million hospital birth records in Florida and found that reducing the rate of infant mortality by just two percent in Black babies under the care of black doctors could reduce the death rate of black newborns by as much as two thirds. Although the study found a strong association between race and infant mortality, more studies are needed to find out the exact impact that prenatal care has on black infants' deaths.

The lack of access to affordable prenatal care is one of the biggest reasons why the mortality rate of black babies in Florida is high. The disproportionately high mortality rate of black babies in Florida can be linked to deepening poverty and the decline in public funding. While 48 states offer prenatal care programs for low-income women, these programs reach only a small proportion of the poor. Moreover, due to the recession in the early 1980s, many Americans lost employer-based health insurance, which often covered prenatal care. According to the Congressional Research Service, virtually all of the increase in uninsured women since 1980 is due to the decline in employer-based coverage.

Breastfeeding

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently published a report showing that Black women breastfeed their babies at a lower rate than white women. The disparity between the two races is more than just a choice - experts say racism plays a role in both the low breastfeeding rate and the disparity between white and black children's health. In addition, the lack of supportive community and employer environments may make Black women feel uncomfortable about breastfeeding.

The study also found that breastfeeding reduced the infant mortality rate in the Leon County area for the second year in a row, though it remains significantly higher than state and national rates. The regional rate decreased from 7.3 to 7.1 deaths per 1,000 live births in the state, compared with 5.6 deaths per thousand live births nationally. In the state of Florida, one hundred and twenty-eight babies died before their first birthday in one year.

Complications of prematurity

The state of Florida has a high rate of infant mortality attributed to complications of prematurity among black children. While the death rate among white babies was 4.1 per 1,000 live births, black babies had a death rate that was nearly twice as high. Preterm birth causes more than a third of all infant deaths, according to a report by the March of Dimes. The March of Dimes blames the high rate in part on implicit bias in the health care system. Since black women generally make less money and have poorer access to health care, medical professionals do not take the concerns of black women seriously.

In 2017, Florida had the highest mortality rate for complications of prematurity among black babies. Despite recent improvements, black babies continue to have higher death rates than their white counterparts. In fact, in 2017, there were nearly twice as many black babies as white ones. The disparity in the infant mortality rate between black and white babies has gotten narrower over the past decade in Florida and neighboring states. Although the state's overall infant mortality rate has fallen over the past decade, it has not been enough to close the gap.

Changes needed in the health-care system

According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, a doctor of color's race can greatly reduce a Black baby's mortality rate. According to the study, black newborns experienced 430 extra deaths for every 100,000 births compared to their white counterparts. Furthermore, when a black physician is present during delivery, the baby's mortality rate drops to half. However, the researchers say that more research is needed to understand the impact of race on the mortality rate of a newborn.

Racial inequities in infant mortality are likely the legacy of structural racism. According to reproductive health equity researcher Rachel Hardeman of the University of Minnesota, Black women experience lower maternal health, which puts them at higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. These same factors also explain why COVID-19 has disproportionate effects on people of color. It's not just racial disparities that affect the health of black babies.