Racial and ethnic disparities in outcomes through 1 year of life in infants born prematurely: a population based study in California

Objectives: To investigate racial/ethnic differences in rehospitalization and mortality rates among premature infants over the first year of life. Study design: A retrospective cohort study of infants born in California from 2011 to 2017 (n = 3,448,707) abstracted from a California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development database. Unadjusted Kaplan–Meier tables and logistic regression controlling for health and sociodemographic characteristics were used to predict outcomes by race/ethnicity. Results: Compared to White infants, Hispanic and Black early preterm infants were more likely to be readmitted; Black late/moderate preterm (LMPT) infants were more likely to be readmitted and to die after discharge; Hispanic and Black early preterm infants with BPD were more likely to be readmitted; Black LMPT infants with RDS were more likely to be readmitted and die after discharge. Conclusions: Racial/ethnic disparities in readmission and mortality rates exist for premature infants across several co-morbidities. Future studies are needed to improve equitability of outcomes.