Biomaterial Database

Vital statistics data as a measurement of perinatal regionalization in Alabama, 1970 and 1980. 1985

R L Goldenberg, and S Hanson, and J B Wayne, and J Koski

Although regionalization of perinatal health care services has received credit for much of the recent improvement in neonatal mortality, until now no measurement of regionalization has been proposed. The measurement presented in this paper--the average of the percentage of infants of very low birthweight and neonatal deaths occurring among residents of a geographic area at a perinatal center--provides a means of comparing the extent of perinatal regionalization in various geographic areas and time periods. Despite continued disparities in the degree of regionalization from one perinatal district to another, Alabama's perinatal system became substantially regionalized from 1970 to 1980. The lower mortality for infants of very low birthweight born at a perinatal center suggests that if Alabama were more completely regionalized, its neonatal mortality would be improved.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007226	Infant Mortality	Postnatal deaths from BIRTH to 365 days after birth in a given population. Postneonatal mortality represents deaths between 28 days and 365 days after birth (as defined by National Center for Health Statistics). Neonatal mortality represents deaths from birth to 27 days after birth.	Neonatal Mortality,Mortality, Infant,Postneonatal Mortality,Infant Mortalities,Mortalities, Infant,Mortalities, Neonatal,Mortalities, Postneonatal,Mortality, Neonatal,Mortality, Postneonatal,Neonatal Mortalities,Postneonatal Mortalities
D007230	Infant, Low Birth Weight	An infant having a birth weight of 2500 gm. (5.5 lb.) or less but INFANT, VERY LOW BIRTH WEIGHT is available for infants having a birth weight of 1500 grams (3.3 lb.) or less.	Low Birth Weight,Low-Birth-Weight Infant,Birth Weight, Low,Birth Weights, Low,Infant, Low-Birth-Weight,Infants, Low-Birth-Weight,Low Birth Weight Infant,Low Birth Weights,Low-Birth-Weight Infants
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007363	Intensive Care Units, Neonatal	Hospital units providing continuing surveillance and care to acutely ill newborn infants.	Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,Neonatal Intensive Care Units,Newborn Intensive Care Unit,Newborn Intensive Care Units,ICU, Neonatal,Neonatal ICU,Newborn ICU,Newborn Intensive Care Units (NICU),ICU, Newborn,ICUs, Neonatal,ICUs, Newborn,Neonatal ICUs,Newborn ICUs
D008427	Maternal Health Services	Organized services to provide health care to expectant and nursing mothers.	Health Services, Maternal,Services, Maternal Health,Health Service, Maternal,Maternal Health Service
D012041	Regional Medical Programs	Coordination of activities and programs among health care institutions within defined geographic areas for the purpose of improving delivery and quality of medical care to the patients. These programs are mandated under U.S. Public Law 89-239.	Medical Program, Regional,Medical Programs, Regional,Program, Regional Medical,Programs, Regional Medical
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000407	Alabama	A state in the southeastern region of the United States. The capital is Montgomery.
D014798	Vital Statistics	Used for general articles concerning statistics of births, deaths, marriages, etc.	Registration of Vital Statistics,Registration, Vital Statistics,Statistics, Vital,Vital Statistics Registration,Registrations, Vital Statistics,Vital Statistics Registrations