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Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the study population according to county poverty rate

From: Area-level poverty and preterm birth risk: A population-based multilevel analysis

County Poverty Rate

Reference 1st quartile

2nd quartile

3rd quartile

Highest Poverty 4th quartile

p-value

Total

92,072

196,672

170,701

175,549

 

Demographic factors

     

Maternal age (mean ± SD)

27.0 ± 5.4

27.33 ± 5.8

25.4 ± 5.7

24.9 ± 5.8

< 0.0001

Reside inside city limits (n,%)

64,198 (69.1%)

121,346 (61.7%)

143,357 (84.0%)

124,625 (71.0%)

< 0.0001

Black race (n,%)

1,823 (2.0%)

29,384 (14.9%)

26,551 (15.5%)

47,140 (26.8%)

< 0.0001

Mother's education level < high school (n,%)

12,180 (13.2%)

26,930 (13.7%)

37,232 (21.8%)

51,609 (29.4%)

< 0.0001

Father's education level < high school (n,%)

7,697 (8.4%)

13,794 (7.0%)

19,384 (11.4%)

22,270 (12.7%)

< 0.0001

Married (n,%)

73,198 (79.5%)

147,841 (75.2%)

111,350 (65.2%)

102,479 (58.4%)

< 0.0001

Indicators of low SES * (n,%)

25,066 (27.2%)

64,428 (32.8%)

87,947 (51.5%)

111,913 (63.7%)

< 0.0001

Prenatal Care

     

Inadequate prenatal care ** (n,%)

8,246 (9.0%)

21,285 (10.8%)

26,455 (15.5%)

38,045 (21.7%)

< 0.0001

Behaviors

     

Maternal tobacco use (n,%)

21,084 (22.9%)

36,417 (18.5%)

40,774 (23.9%)

43,416 (24.7%)

< 0.0001

Maternal alcohol use (n,%)

1,703 (1.8%)

4,755 (2.4%)

4,003 (2.3%)

3,671 (2.1%)

< 0.0001

Medical Risk Factors

     

Medical risk factors (n,%)

19,792 (21.5%)

37,235 (18.9%)

36,802 (21.6%)

40,055 (22.8%)

< 0.0001

  1. * composite variable including recipient of state-funded Medicaid, foodstamps or WIC assistance
  2. ** prenatal care initiated after 20 weeks of pregnancy