Risk of low birthweight in social districts of Copenhagen

The purpose of this survey was to investigate the small-area Variations in low birthweight within social services districts in Copenhagen and the rela tion of such variations to the socioeconomic characteristics of the distric t. The study was based on register data and included all live-born singleto n births to women living in the city of Copenhagen from 1987 - 90. We found a statistically significant association between district and risk of newbo rns being small-for-gestational age (SGA). This association was independent of adjustment for maternal age and parity. Only part of the association wa s explained, though this was still significant, using an index summarizing the socioeconomic living conditions in the district. Splitting up the index into its four constituent components, however, showed that the association between SGA and district was primarily due to housing conditions in the di stricts. Mapping the districts demonstrated a clear tendency of clustering of the high-risk areas with poor socioeconomic conditions.