Biomedical subjects

Renee Schwalberg

Publications and source records attributed to Renee Schwalberg.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Effect of "this side up" T-shirts on infant sleep position.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of "This Side Up" T-shirts on parental practices in Nebraska. METHODS: A random sample of 3,210 Nebraska women who gave birth in 2004, stratified by race/ethnicity, was mailed a brief questionnaire on their receipt of a T-shirt and SIDS risk reduction materials at their birthing hospital, and on infant sleep position. RESULTS: Response rates were low (25.9%), ranging from 10.6% for Native American mothers to 46.4% for White mothers. Half (52.0%) had received a T-shirt and 71.6% had received SIDS information. Two-thirds (64.0%) reported that their infants slept on their backs; African-American and Hispanic infants were significantly less likely to back sleep. In univariate logistic regression models, African-American race, Hispanic ethnicity and maternal age 30-39 were significant negative predictors of back sleeping; White race and having received a SIDS brochure were positive predictors. In the fully controlled model African American and Asian race and Hispanic ethnicity were negative predictors of back sleeping; neither receiving SIDS information nor the infant T-shirt was significant. Effects of maternal age and a SIDS informational brochure appeared in models stratified by race/ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: In these data, receiving an infant T-shirt was not related to how mothers placed their infants to sleep. Additional research is needed on effective methods of delivering targeted counseling and promoting safe sleep practices among families, particularly among racial and ethnic subgroups.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Factors influencing inadequate and excessive weight gain in pregnancy: Colorado, 2000-2002.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the biological, psychosocial, and behavioral characteristics that are associated with inadequate and/or excessive weight gain in pregnancy. METHODS: Univariate, bivariate, and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted using data from Colorado's 2000-2002 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS). Independent variables included biological risk factors (prepregnancy BMI, parity, preterm labor, maternal morbidity), psychosocial risk factors (pregnancy intention, WIC and Medicaid enrollment, area of residence, age, race/ethnicity, education, and stressors), and behavioral risk factors (smoking and drinking alcohol in the last trimester of pregnancy). RESULTS: In the bivariate analysis, all the biological risk factors were significantly associated with the pregnancy weight gain distribution, as were several of the psychosocial risk factors (WIC and Medicaid enrollment, area of residence, race/ethnicity, and maternal education). Smoking and alcohol use were not significant. After controlling for other variables through logistic regression, the only characteristics associated with inadequate weight gain were parity, underweight or obesity, preterm labor, nausea, residence in a rural area, low levels of education, and smoking. The characteristics associated with excessive weight gain were overweight or obesity, high blood pressure, and having 12 years of education. CONCLUSION: Having a pre-pregnancy BMI above 29 greatly increases the risk for both inadequate and excessive weight gain. Unfortunately, obesity, like the other major risk factors identified here (maternal education and parity) are not modifiable after a given pregnancy begins. To address these problems, a sustained approach to women's health, education, and well-being across the lifespan will be required, rather than a reliance upon targeted interventions during pregnancy.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Reducing low birthweight by resolving risks: results from Colorado's prenatal plus program.

OBJECTIVES: We examined low-birthweight (LBW) rates among participants in Colorado's Prenatal Plus program by prenatal risk factors (smoking, inadequate weight gain during pregnancy, and psychosocial problems) and the effect of successful resolution of these risks during pregnancy. METHODS: Data for 3569 Medicaid-eligible women who received care coordination, nutritional counseling, or psychosocial counseling through the Prenatal Plus Program in 2002 were analyzed to determine the prevalence of specific risks, the proportion of women who resolved each specific risk, and the low birthweight rates for births to women who did and did not resolve risk. LBW rates were analyzed with chi(2) tests of significance. RESULTS: Women who quit smoking had an LBW rate of 8.5%, compared with an LBW rate of 13.7% among women who did not. Women with adequate weight gain had an LBW rate of 6.7%, compared with 17.2% among women with inadequate weight gain. Women who resolved all of their risks had a low-birthweight rate of 7.0%, compared with a rate of 13.2% among women who resolved no risks. Women who had at least 10 Prenatal Plus visits were more likely to resolve their risks than were women who had fewer visits. CONCLUSIONS: Multidisciplinary prenatal interventions targeted toward specific risks demonstrate success at significantly improving infant birthweight.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Economic impact on families caring for children with special health care needs in New Hampshire: the effect of socioeconomic and health-related factors.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the economic impact on families of caring for children with special health care needs (CSHCN), and to determine the relative contributions of socioeconomic and health-related factors to these impacts on families in the State of New Hampshire. METHODS: Seven hundred and fifty families with CSHCN in New Hampshire were interviewed in the National Survey of Children with Special Health Needs. Among respondents with CSHCN, univariate and bivariate analyses were conducted to examine economic impact and independent factors (income, insurance type, and impact of condition). Multiple logistic and linear regression models were used to examine relationships between impact and independent factors, controlling for race/ethnicity. RESULTS: Compared to typical children, CSHCN were more likely to have public insurance (12% and 21%, respectively) and less likely to live in higher income families (56% and 48%, respectively). Among CSHCN, nearly one-quarter were greatly affected by their condition, 31% had inadequate insurance, families of 21% had financial problems, parents of 27% had to cut work hours, and almost 15% needed professional care coordination. Adjusting for other factors in regression models, the impact of the condition was associated with all measures of impact, insurance type was associated with out-of-pocket costs, and income was associated with the total number of impacts. Parents of children who are usually or always affected by their conditions were 14 times more likely than those who are never affected to need care coordination. CONCLUSION: A family's need for support services, and particularly for care coordination, may depend less on the family's means than on the impact of their child's condition.

Caregivers↗