Dataset Information

Twitter-derived measures of sentiment towards minorities (2015-2016) and associations with low birth weight and preterm birth in the United States.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

The objective of this study was to investigate the association between state-level publicly expressed sentiment towards racial and ethnic minorities and birth outcomes for mothers who gave birth in that state.

Methods

We utilized Twitter's Streaming Application Programming Interface (API) to collect 1,249,653 tweets containing at least one relevant keyword pertaining to a racial or ethnic minority group. State-level derived sentiment towards racial and ethnic minorities were merged with data on all 2015 U.S. births (N=3.99 million singleton births).

Results

Mothers living in states in the lowest tertile of positive sentiment towards racial/ethnic minorities had greater prevalences of low birth weight (+6%), very low birth weight (+9%), and preterm birth (+10%) compared to mothers living in states in the highest tertile of positive sentiment, controlling for individual-level maternal characteristics and state demographic characteristics. Sentiment towards specific racial/ethnic groups showed a similar pattern. Mothers living in states in the lowest tertile of positive sentiment towards blacks had an 8% greater prevalence of low birth weight and very low birth weight, and a 16% greater prevalence of preterm birth, compared to mothers living in states in the highest tertile. Lower state-level positive sentiment towards Middle Eastern groups was also associated with a 4-13% greater prevalence of adverse birth outcomes. Results from subgroup analyses restricted to racial/ethnic minority mothers did not differ substantially from those seen for the full population of mothers.

Conclusions

More negative area-level sentiment towards blacks and Middle Eastern groups was related to worse individual birth outcomes, and this is true for the full population and minorities.

SUBMITTER: Nguyen TT

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6432619 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Twitter-derived measures of sentiment towards minorities (2015-2016) and associations with low birth weight and preterm birth in the United States.

Nguyen Thu T TT Meng Hsien-Wen HW Sandeep Sanjeev S McCullough Matt M Yu Weijun W Lau Yan Y Huang Dina D Nguyen Quynh C QC

Computers in human behavior 20180809

<h4>Introduction</h4>The objective of this study was to investigate the association between state-level publicly expressed sentiment towards racial and ethnic minorities and birth outcomes for mothers who gave birth in that state.<h4>Methods</h4>We utilized Twitter's Streaming Application Programming Interface (API) to collect 1,249,653 tweets containing at least one relevant keyword pertaining to a racial or ethnic minority group. State-level derived sentiment towards racial and ethnic minoriti ...[more]

PMID: 30923420

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Project description:AimThis paper aims to identify health research priorities that could improve the rate of progress in reducing global neonatal mortality from preterm birth and low birth weight (PB/LBW), as set out in the UN's Millennium Development Goal 4.MethodsWe applied the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) methodology for setting priorities in health research investments. In the process coordinated by the World Health Organization in 2007-2008, 21 researchers with interest in child, maternal and newborn health suggested 82 research ideas that spanned across the broad spectrum of epidemiological research, health policy and systems research, improvement of existing interventions and development of new interventions. The 82 research questions were then assessed for answerability, effectiveness, deliverability, maximum potential for mortality reduction and the effect on equity using the CHNRI method.ResultsThe top 10 identified research priorities were dominated by health systems and policy research questions (eg, identification of LBW infants born at home within 24-48 hours of birth for additional care; approaches to improve quality of care of LBW infants in health facilities; identification of barriers to optimal home care practices including care seeking; and approaches to increase the use of antenatal corticosteriods in preterm labor and to improve access to hospital care for LBW infants). These were followed by priorities for improvement of the existing interventions (eg, early initiation of breastfeeding, including feeding mode and techniques for those unable to suckle directly from the breast; improved cord care, such as chlorhexidine application; and alternative methods to Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) to keep LBW infants warm in community settings). The highest-ranked epidemiological question suggested improving criteria for identifying LBW infants who need to be cared for in a hospital. Among the new interventions, the greatest support was shown for the development of new simple and effective interventions for providing thermal care to LBW infants, if KMC is not acceptable to the mother.ConclusionThe context for this exercise was set within the MDG4, requiring an urgent and rapid progress in mortality reduction from low birth weight, rather than identifying long-term strategic solutions of the greatest potential. In a short-term context, the health policy and systems research to improve access and coverage by the existing interventions, coupled with further research to improve effectiveness, deliverability and acceptance of existing interventions, and epidemiological research to address the key gaps in knowledge, were all highlighted as research priorities.

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Dataset Information

Twitter-derived measures of sentiment towards minorities (2015-2016) and associations with low birth weight and preterm birth in the United States.

Introduction

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Twitter-derived measures of sentiment towards minorities (2015-2016) and associations with low birth weight and preterm birth in the United States.

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