AHRQ Grant HS021903: Related Publication Summaries

Maternal quality and safety outcomes for Asians and Pacific Islanders in Hawaii: An observational study from five years of statewide data

Sentell T, Chang A, Cheng Y, Miyamura J.
BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2014 Aug 30; 14:298.

This study examined discharge data from all Hawaii childbirth hospitalizations from 2008 to 2012 to compare validated measures of maternal quality and safety across seven racial/ethnic groups: Filipino, Native Hawaiian, other Pacific Islander (e.g., Samoan, Tongan, Micronesian), Japanese, Chinese, white, and other race/ethnicity. There was significant variation for Asian and Pacific Islander subgroups across maternal quality and safety outcomes.  Native Hawaiians had better outcomes than whites on several quality and safety measures, including obstetric trauma during vaginal delivery. Other Pacific Islanders had high rates of vaginal births after cesareans, while Japanese had lower rates.

Key factors in obstetric delivery decision-making among Asian and Pacific Islander women by English proficiency

Davis CM, Guo M, Miyamura J, Chang A, Nelson-Hurwitz DC, Sentell T
Hawaii Journal of Medicine and Public Health 2017 Oct;76(10):279-286.

Understanding how expectant mothers gather information to decide where to give birth, and who helps make that decision, provides critical health communication and decision-making insights. This survey found that the top three health decision-makers for both Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) with limited English proficiency and English-proficient AAPIs were themselves, their obstetrician, and their spouse, which did not differ significantly by language proficiency.

Maternal language and adverse birth outcomes in a statewide analysis

Sentell T, Chang A, Ahn HJ, Miyamura J.
Women’s Health 2016;56(3):257-80.

The study goal was to consider the relationship of maternal language to birth outcomes using Hawaii’s hospitalization data. It found that non-English speakers had approximately two times higher risk of having an obstetric trauma during a vaginal birth when other factors, including race/ethnicity, were controlled. Non-English speakers also had higher rates of potentially high-risk deliveries.

Maternal risk factors and perinatal outcomes among Pacific Islander groups in Hawaii: a retrospective cohort study using statewide hospital data

Chang AL, Hurwitz E, Miyamura J, Kaneshiro B, Sentell T.
BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2015 Oct 5;15:239.

This study compared perinatal outcomes between Pacific Islander and White women who delivered a singleton live born infant in any Hawaii hospital from January 2010 to December 2011. Significant differences in perinatal outcomes between Pacific Islander and White women and newborns were noted. All Pacific Islander groups had an increased risk of hypertension. Native Hawaiians had the highest risk of low-birthweight infants.