1. Trends of Sex Ratio at Birth and its Association with Sociodemographic Factors Among Asian American Subgroups in the US from 2016 to 2021
- Author
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Kim, Hyelee, Murro, Rachel, Park, Jee Eun, Kim, Yeojin, Kim, Youngseon, Lee, Patty J, Chun Koh, Hesung, and Diamond-Smith, Nadia
- Subjects
Human Society ,Biomedical and Clinical Sciences ,Health Sciences ,Demography ,Prevention ,Reproductive health and childbirth ,Good Health and Well Being - Abstract
Background Concerns about stigmatization and barriers to access to reproductive health among Asian American women have been raised. Methods To explore the characteristics of associated factors of non-natural sex ratio at birth (SRB), we analyzed the National Vital Statistics System Natality Data from 2016 to 2021 (N=1,668,875). We defined Asian Americans as people with ancestors from Asia, including Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese. Additionally, we stratified data according to the Asian-American subgroup. Per each group, we estimated changes in the male-to-female SRB over time. We performed logistic regression for male birth, adjusting for birth order and sociodemographic factors. Results Most Asian-American subgroups demonstrated SRBs within natural ranges for the first and second child, whereas, from the third child, SRBs skewed and differed by Asian-Americans. For respective Asian countries with skewed SRBs, Asian-American subgroups had lower SRBs than those. After adjustments, the third child had 8.0% greater odds (for male birth in the ratio scale) than the first in Asian Indians (95% CI 5.7, 10.4) and 6.9% greater odds in Chinese (95% CI 4.4, 9.5). Foreign-born mothers had 3.6% greater odds than U.S.-borns in Asian Indians (95% CI 2.0, 5.2) and 5.2% greater odds in Chinese (95% CI 3.5-6.9). Among the Filipinos, mothers with high school degrees had 2.2% lower odds than mothers with college degrees (95% CI 0.2, 4.1), while Japanese mothers with lower education categories had greater odds. Unmarried Asian Indians had 2.9% decreased odds than married (95% CI 0.0, 5.7), and unmarried Koreans showed 5.6% increased odds (95% CI 0.6, 10.9). Discussion We found differential associations of SRB with sociodemographic factors and birth order by subgroup. Conclusion Future demographic analyses of SRBs must disaggregate Asian populations into subgroups. Policy actions need to consider the specific backgrounds of different Asian-American subgroups while empowering women in all Asian-American communities.
- Published
- 2023