Predictors of birth outcome among Hispanic immigrant women

Eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in health is a major goal of Heal thy People 2010. Health care providers and Institutions can address the spe cialized cultural expectations and needs of Hispanic Americans by assessing acculturation status of the population, an intervening variable in patient compliance, and health outcomes. This article reports on maternal accultur ation status and the relationship to birth outcomes of 382 Hispanic pregnan t women in the southwest United States. The majority of these women were Me xican-oriented and had healthy pregnancies and healthy birth outcomes. Find ings support the hypothesis that traditional Mexican cultural practices ser ve protective functions for the childbearing woman.