VERY-LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT INFANTS AND INCOME INCONGRUITY AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND WHITE PARENTS IN CHICAGO

Objectives. Illinois vital records for 1982/1983 and US census income data for 1980 were analyzed to ascertain the relationship of income in congruity, race, and very low birthweight. Methods. Positive income in congruity was considered present when study infants resided in wealthi er neighborhoods than non-Latino Whites at the same level of parental education attainment and marital status. Results. The odds ratios of v ery low birthweight for African Americans (n = 44 266) and Whites (n = 27 139) who experienced positive income incongruity were 0.7 (95% con fidence interval [CI] = 0.5, 0.9) and 0.6 (95% CI = 0.5, 0.9), respect ively. Conclusions. Positive income incongruity is associated with low er race-specific rates of very low birthweight.