Open AccessBirthweight distributions in Mexico City and among US Southwest Mexican Americans: the effect of altitude.
Author(s) -
Francis Notzon,
José Luis Bobadilla,
Irma Coria
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.82.7.1014
Subject(s) - altitude (triangle) , mexico city , demography , mexican americans , medicine , low altitude , geography , environmental health , ethnic group , humanities , geometry , mathematics , sociology , anthropology , philosophy
In this study birthweight distributions for Mexican Americans and Mexico City were compared. Sharp differences in the two distributions were nearly eliminated by controlling for altitude. The small remaining excess in low birthweight in Mexico City appears to be due to a slight overrepresentation of tertiary hospital deliveries, and possibly to a greater prevalence of pathological conditions. The results are consistent with the favorable low birthweight rate reported for Mexican Americans and illustrate the need to adjust for altitude in studies of low birthweight.