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N.C. infant mortality rate gap widens by race
by John Minter, THE CHARLOTTE POST
North Carolina's infant mortality rate rose last year, widening the gap between whites and children of color.

According to the State Health Director A. Dennis McBride, the 1998 state infant mortality rate increased slightly from 9.2 deaths per 1,000 live births to 9.3 per 1,000. That translates into 1,037 babies who died before their first birthday, many of them members of minorities groups.

Pediatrician Dr. Abelard Cofie of Presbyterian Healthcare Associates examines 4-month-old Jordan Brown in his Charlotte office Wednesday. North Carolina's infant mortality rate rose last year, widening a gap between white babies and children of color.

This increase come after years of decline since the state launched an intensive effort to combat the problem in 1995.

"Even though the infant mortality rate overall has improved, the gap between whites and non-whites infants is growing," said Marcus Jones, communication manager and infant mortality coordinator for the N.C. Healthy Start Foundation.

"The white rate seems to be getting better while the minority rate just gets worse."

According to the Mecklenburg Health Department, the infant mortality for the county is 7.1 deaths per 1,000 live births. But, the infant mortality for whites is 4 deaths per 1,000, compared to 12.7 for non-whites. State-wide the infant mortality rate for non-white babies is 16.3 per 1,000 live births in 1998, an increase from 14.8 in 1997. The state wide rate for white babies is 6.8 per 1,000 white live births compared to 6.9 percent in 1997.

"In statistical terms, we may not be worse off, but we're not getting any better, " McBride said. "This is simply unacceptable. I have ordered my staff to take a closer look at the major contributors to our infant mortality problem and see what we can come up with the reduce or eliminate them. Everything is on the table from research to intervention, to finding new resources."

Health officials say poor health of mothers prior to pregnancy and lack of access to prenatal care contribute to infant mortality. Behavioral factors such as smoking, sexually transmitted disease or poor diet could lead to low birth weight babies, defined as weighing less than 5.5 pounds. They are more prone to health problems which can lead to shorter life span.

"Nutrition of the mother is a big factor as well as receiving proper prenatal care. A healthy pregnancy leads to a healthy baby," said Dr. Marcus Plescia, associate director of the Mecklenburg Health Department's family medicine unit.

"Minorities seems to have a higher rate than whites when you look at all health problems so we are concerned about the rate when it comes to infant mortality."

The state's Baby Love program has made strides in combating infant mortality. Prenatal care is made available to mothers receiving Medicare, along with check-ups, nutrition tips and parenting skills after the baby's birth.

Advances in technology have also improved lower birth weight and premature babies' chances of survival.

But the bottom line, McBride says, comes down to access to health care, something communities of color ­ especially African Americans ­ don't have in abundance.

"What we have to do is use every means available to find out why this is happening and then take the proper steps to reverse the trend," he said. "In order to do that, we're going to need more and better data and the collaboration of the academic community, health groups and organizations inside and outside of state government."