Search

Patterns and correlates of maternal smoking could differ according to ethnic background, and these differences might have consequences for intervention strategies. In the Generation R study, we examined patterns of smoking during pregnancy and the associations of socioeconomic (educational level), demographic (maternal age, marital status, generational status, parity) and lifestyle (alcohol consumption, partner smoking) correlates with smoking during pregnancy in 5,748 women of Dutch, Turkish, Moroccan, Surinamese-Hindustani, Surinamese-Creole, Capeverdean and Antillean ethnic background. Smoking rates before pregnancy were highest in the Turkish group (43.7%) and lowest in the Moroccan group (7.0%). Compared with Dutch women (24.1%), Turkish and Moroccan women were less likely to quit smoking before pregnancy (17.0% and 5.9%, respectively; p<.001). Turkish and Moroccan women (72.0% and 70.6%, respectively) were more likely to continue smoking during pregnancy compared to Dutch women (58.6%, p<.001). Lower education was associated with smoking during pregnancy only in the Dutch group. No significant association of education with smoking was seen in the non-Dutch groups. Second-generation (i.e., foreign-born) Turkish and Capeverdean women were more likely to smoke during pregnancy compared with first-generation women. Partner smoking was associated with smoking during pregnancy in all ethnic groups except for Surinamese-Creole and Antillean. Maternal alcohol consumption was associated with smoking during pregnancy in all ethnic groups except for Capeverdean. Smoking rates and correlates of smoking during pregnancy varied by ethnic background. These observations should be considered when designing maternal smoking prevention and intervention strategies.

Background: Migrant populations consist of migrants with differences in generational status and length of residence. Several studies suggest that health outcomes differ by generational status and duration of residence. We examined the association of generational status and age at immigration of the mother with infant mortality in migrant populations in The Netherlands., Methods: Data from Statistics Netherlands were obtained from 1995 through 2000 for infants of mothers with Dutch, Turkish and Surinamese ethnicity. Mothers were categorized by generational status (Dutch-born and foreign-born) and by age at immigration (0-16 and >16 years). The associations of generational status and age at immigration of the mother with total and cause-specific infant mortality were examined., Results: The infant mortality rate in Turkish mothers rose with lower age at immigration (from 5.5 to 6.4 per 1000) and was highest for Dutch-born Turkish mothers (6.8 per 1000). Infant death from perinatal and congenital causes increased with lower age at immigration and was highest in the Dutch-born Turkish women. In contrast, in Surinamese mothers infant mortality declined with lower age at immigration (from 8.0 to 6.3 per 1000) and was lowest for Dutch-born Surinamese mothers (5.5 per 1000). Generational status and lower age at immigration of Surinamese women were associated with declining mortality of congenital causes., Conclusions: Total and cause-specific infant mortality seem to differ according to generational status and age at immigration of the mother. The direction of these trends however differs between ethnic populations. This may be related to acculturation and selective migration.

We examined ethnic differences in infant mortality and the contribution of several explanatory variables. Data of Statistics Netherlands from 1995 to 2000 were studied (1,178,949 live borns). Proportional hazard analysis was used to show ethnic differences in total and cause-specific infant mortality. Obstetric, demographic and -geographical variables, and socio-economic status were considered as possible determinants. The four major ethnic minority groups showed an elevated risk of infant mortality, ranging from 1.28 in Turkish infants to 1.50 in Antillean/Aruban infants. In the early neonatal period, risks were elevated for Surinamese (hazard ratio [HR] 1.48, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.23, 1.78) and Antilleans/Arubans (HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.06, 1.92). In the post-neonatal period, risks were only elevated for Turkish (HR 2.20, 95% CI 1.80, 2.69) and Moroccan infants (HR 2.06, 95% CI 1.67, 2.55). Surinamese and Antillean/Aruban infants had an elevated risk of dying from perinatal causes (HR 1.62, 95% CI 1.33, 1.98 and 1.69, 95% CI 1.24, 2.29 respectively), Turkish and Moroccan infants had an elevated risk of dying from congenital anomalies (HR 1.42, 95% CI 1.16, 1.73 and 1.46, 95% CI 1.20, 1.79 respectively). Inequalities as a result of socio-economic position and demographic factors, such as marital status and maternal age, partially explain the ethnic differences in infant mortality. We conclude that ethnic minority groups in The Netherlands have a higher infant mortality than the native population, which in part seems preventable by reducing inequalities in socio-economic status. Marital status and age of the mother are important other risk factors of infant mortality.