Unless otherwise noted, the AORs presented in Table 3 are statistically significant. African-Americans are almost three times as likely to begin prenatal care late in pregnancy or to receive no care. The quality of care received cannot be evaluated. Low educational attainment is calculated in reference to age. 18-year old mothers if education is less than 11 years, etc.
Educational attainment is largely a measure of socio-economic status, as is marital status.
Of these programs, the Food Stamp program has the most restrictive income requirement and is the best poverty indicator. Access to the appropriate level of obstetrical and neonatal hospital care is another potential reason for disparity in infant outcomes. There has been little change in LBW among African-Americans. Because of worsening LBW among whites, total LBW has actually worsened, and in 1996 was 50 percent higher than the year 2000 goal of five percent. The total infant death rate, although not at the year 2000 goal of 7 per 1,000, has fallen.