African American children in the US have a higher prevalence of cerebral palsy (CP)
Key Facts and Context
Prevalence: Studies show the prevalence of CP is about 3.7 per 1,000 black children versus 3.2 per 1,000 white children—a prevalence odds ratio (OR) of 1.2[1]. Other research reports that black infants are 29% more likely than white infants to have CP
Severity: The increased prevalence among black children is primarily seen in those with the most severe functional limitations. For severe CP, black children have a substantially higher risk
Risk Factors: The higher rate of CP among African American children is closely tied to higher rates of low birth weight, which is a major risk factor for CP. However, among term or normal birth weight infants, black children still show a 20-40% increased risk of CP compared to whites
Socioeconomic and Health Care Factors: Lack of prenatal care and lower maternal education levels are strongly linked to higher CP risk across all ethnicities. Black mothers are more likely to experience inadequate prenatal care, which partially explains the disparity[3][5].
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