IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/atlecj/v52y2024i4d10.1007_s11293-024-09815-x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Racial Disparities in Cesarean Section Rates Between Non-Hispanic Black and Non-Hispanic White Populations in the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Yanchao Yang

    (DePauw University)

  • Margaret Mullen

    (Northwestern University)

  • Guangda Zhang

    (Claremont Graduate University)

Abstract

This study uses national natality data from the National Vital Statistics System, provided by the National Center for Health Statistics, covering the years 2011 to 2018 (N = 23,810,031) to investigate racial disparities in cesarean section (C-section) rates between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White mothers in the United States. This analysis offers a comprehensive perspective on the factors contributing to C-section disparities by considering mothers' demographic characteristics, health conditions, and infant health status. Using multivariable logistic regression, the findings reveal consistently higher C-section rates for non-Hispanic Black mothers compared to non-Hispanic White mothers, with the gap widening over time. Even after adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related factors, non-Hispanic Black mothers remained more likely to undergo C-sections. Using Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition methods, key factors contributing to this C-section rates disparity include maternal age, the source of delivery payment, and fetal presentation. This study highlights the pressing need for further investigation into healthcare system factors and racial inequities driving these disparities, alongside the growing urgency for policy and practical interventions to reduce unnecessary C-sections.

Suggested Citation

  • Yanchao Yang & Margaret Mullen & Guangda Zhang, 2024. "Racial Disparities in Cesarean Section Rates Between Non-Hispanic Black and Non-Hispanic White Populations in the United States," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 52(4), pages 213-228, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:atlecj:v:52:y:2024:i:4:d:10.1007_s11293-024-09815-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s11293-024-09815-x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11293-024-09815-x
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11293-024-09815-x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sarah Robinson & Heather Royer & David Silver, 2024. "Geographic Variation in Cesarean Sections in the United States: Trends, Correlates, and Other Interesting Facts," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 42(S1), pages 219-259.
    2. Neeraj Puro & Reena J Kelly & Mandar Bodas & Scott Feyereisen, 2022. "Estimating the differences in Caesarean section (C-section) rates between public and privately insured mothers in Florida: A decomposition approach," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(4), pages 1-15, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.

      More about this item

      Keywords

      Health disparity; Cesarean section rate; Maternal and infant health;
      All these keywords.

      JEL classification:

      • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
      • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

      Statistics

      Access and download statistics

      Corrections

      All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:atlecj:v:52:y:2024:i:4:d:10.1007_s11293-024-09815-x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

      If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

      If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

      If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

      For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

      Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

      IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.