Geographic patterns of low birth weight in Hawaii

This study examines areal variations in low birth weight, using the census tract as the unit of analysis. Reports from the 1980 U.S. census were used to develop summary indicators of environmental and socio-economic conditions, including poverty, employment, education and crowding, for 155 census tracts in the state of Hawaii. Maternal socio-demographic, prenatal care utilization, and medical risk indicators and low birth weight percentages for resident, single live births were extracted from the Hawaii 1979-1987 vital record live birth files and aggregated by census tract. Multiple regression analysis was used to develop a model that predicted 61% of the variation among census tracts in the percentage of low birth weight. Patterns of low birth weight were primarily associated with ethnic patterns of maternal residence and single marital status. There was no association between inadequate prenatal care and low birth weight at the census tract level.