PEDIATRICS Vol. 104 No. 6 December 1999, p. e74

ELECTRONIC ARTICLE:
The Impact of Low Birth Weight, Perinatal Conditions, and Sociodemographic Factors on Educational Outcome in Kindergarten

Received Oct 19, 1998; accepted Jun 23, 1999.

Michael B. Resnick^*, Ralitza V. Gueorguieva, Randy L. Carter, Mario Ariet^*, Yuanshan Sun, Jeffrey Roth^*, Richard L. Bucciarelli^*, John S. Curran^§, and Charles S. Mahan

From the Colleges of ^* Medicine and  Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; and the Colleges of ^§ Medicine and  Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.

Objective.  To assess the relative effects and the impact of perinatal and sociodemographic risk factors on long-term morbidity within a total birth population in Florida.

Methods.  School records for 339 171 children entering kindergarten in Florida public schools in the 1992-1993, 1993-1994, or 1994-1995 academic years were matched with Florida birth records from 1985 to 1990. Effects on long-term morbidity were assessed through a multivariate analysis of an educational outcome variable, defined as placement into 9 mutually exclusive categories in kindergarten. Of those categories, 7 were special education (SE) classifications determined by statewide standardized eligibility criteria, 1 was academic problems, and the reference category was regular classroom. Generalized logistic regression was used to simultaneously estimate the odds of placement in SE and academic problems. The impact of all risk factors was assessed via estimated attributable excess/deficit numbers, based on the multivariate analysis.

Results.  Educational outcome was significantly influenced by both perinatal and sociodemographic factors. Perinatal factors had greater adverse effects on the most severe SE types, with birth weight <1000 g having the greatest effect. Sociodemographic predictors had greater effects on the mild educational disabilities. Because of their greater prevalence, the impact attributable to each of the factors (poverty, male gender, low maternal education, or non-white race) was between 5 and 10 times greater than that of low birth weight and >10 times greater than that of very low birth weight, presence of a congenital anomaly, or prenatal care.

Conclusions.  Results are consistent with the hypothesis that adverse perinatal conditions result in severe educational disabilities, whereas less severe outcomes are influenced by sociodemographic factors. Overall, sociodemographic factors have a greater total impact on adverse educational outcomes than perinatal factors.  Key words:  birth weight, child development, special education, educational status, morbidity, infant, low birth weight, risk factors, socioeconomic factors, logistic models, Florida.

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