A3.01 - Oral: Exploring the Racial Disparities of Health Communication in Prenatal Care

Brief Abstract Summary: Discover racial disparities in health communication influence adherence to prenatal care recommendations through a social network analysis. This study highlights significant differences in network structures between pregnant African American and White women. Both groups identify trust in provider, patient-provider interaction, and satisfaction with prenatal care as key factors impacting their networks. However, reveals that pregnant African American women placed a greater emphasis on the provider’s empathy, while White women focused more on the role of telecommunication in their network interactions.

Detailed abstract description:

Background:
Prenatal care serves as a crucial entry point to the healthcare system for many pregnant women and can significantly impact infant health outcomes, particularly morbidity and mortality. Racial disparities in adherence to prenatal care recommendations and associated health outcomes persist. This presentation explores how racial disparities in health communication influence adherence to prenatal care recommendations through innovative social network analysis. We aim to understand how communication patterns affect healthcare outcomes, especially within diverse populations.

Methods:
The network analysis procedure was conducted on samples of pregnant African American women and pregnant white women (n=401), comparing the networks of these two racial groups based on their overall structure, the number of dimensions, and the significance of each node using centrality measures such as 'strength', 'closeness', and 'betweenness'. Degree Centrality (Strength) measures the number of direct connections a node has, indicating significant influence within a social-emotional network; Betweenness Centrality assesses the extent to which a node acts as a bridge within the network, highlighting its pivotal role in facilitating interactions; Closeness Centrality indicates the proximity of a node to all other nodes in the network, providing insight into how quickly information or behaviors can spread.

Results:
In the pregnant African American women group, there are three main clusters, while in the pregnant White women group, four clusters were detected. In the pregnant African American women group, Cluster 1 consists of Cultural Humility, Empathy, Interaction, and Trust; Cluster 2 includes Distrust and Discrimination; and Cluster 3 comprises Health Literacy, Self-Efficacy, Motivation, and Satisfaction. In the pregnant White women group, Cluster 1 includes Empathy, Cultural Humility, and Interaction; Cluster 2 includes Satisfaction, Decision Making, and Trust; Cluster 3 includes Health Literacy, Self-Efficacy, and Motivation; and Cluster 4 includes Distrust and Discrimination.

Conclusion:
This study contributes to the emerging body of evidence demonstrating the influence of adherence to prenatal care recommendations. Within a cohort of 401 women aged 18-45 in their second or third trimester of pregnancy, this study delves into the notable differences and contrasting social network dynamics between pregnant African American women and pregnant white women, showcasing heightened levels of interactions in adherence to prenatal care recommendations. Through conducting the social network analysis, a web of interconnected associations emerged, shedding light on the intricate interplay of multiple factors influencing adherence during pregnancy. These findings not only underscore the nuanced nature of these interactions but also pinpoint specific variables that could enhance maternal and infant outcomes, particularly concerning morbidity and mortality rates.