Kun, Bianca
(2024)
Identifying risk factors associated with preterm birth in African American women.
Master Essay, University of Pittsburgh.
Abstract
Preterm birth (PTB) is a leading cause of infant mortality and long-term morbidity. Preterm infants are more likely to develop respiratory problems, have neurological and cognitive conditions, and develop long-term health issues compared to full-term infants. PTB disproportionately affects African American women in the United States. The risks for PTB have been primarily identified either among women of European ancestry or from a comparison between women of European ancestry and women of African ancestry. The purpose of this study is to identify novel genetic and non-genetic risk factors associated with risk of preterm birth in African American women.
We analyzed data from 2,000 participants of the All of Us Research Program recruited between 2018 to the present. To identify non-genetic risk factors for PTB, we examined data from surveys, lab measurements, and electronic health records from participants that self-identify as African American and over the age of 18 years. In addition, a systematic literature review of genetic risk factors for PTB was conducted to identify potential genetic risks. We found that marital status, health insurance, and clinical labs measuring blood pressure, blood cells, and kidney function were significantly associated with risk of PTB in cases compared to controls. In the literature review, we found that there are population-specific genetic risk factors more commonly associated with African American women and risk of PTB, e.g., IL6R, MMP9, COL24A1.
The public health significance is that African America women have a disproportionately higher risk of PTBs compared to European American women by identifying risk factors associated with PTB in African American women, we can create and implement strategies to reduce those risks thereby reducing the overall prevalence of PTB among African American women.
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Details
| Item Type: |
Other Thesis, Dissertation, or Long Paper
(Master Essay)
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
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| Contributors: |
| Contribution | Contributors Name | Email | Pitt Username | ORCID  |
|---|
| Committee Chair | Hernandez, Wenndy | weh119@pitt.edu | weh119 | UNSPECIFIED | | Committee Co-Chair | Park, Hyun Jung | hyp15@pitt.edu | hyp15 | UNSPECIFIED | | Committee Co-Chair | Empey, Philip E | pempey@pitt.edu | pempey | UNSPECIFIED |
|
| Date: |
13 May 2024 |
| Date Type: |
Completion |
| Number of Pages: |
70 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Public Health > Human Genetics |
| Degree: |
MPH - Master of Public Health |
| Thesis Type: |
Master Essay |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Date Deposited: |
13 May 2024 18:14 |
| Last Modified: |
13 May 2024 18:14 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/46283 |
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