TITLE:
Does Prenatal Exposure to Alcohol and Cigarette Smoking Increase Risk of Hospitalization for American Indian Infants
AUTHORS:
Anne Sandstrom, Mariah Jorda, Bradley J. Conant, Marilyn G. Klug, Jyoti Angal, Larry Burd
KEYWORDS:
Hospitalization, Infants, American Indians, Alcohol, Smoking
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.11 No.4,
October
15,
2021
ABSTRACT: Background: Prenatal exposure to alcohol and tobacco are both
associated with increased risk for adverse outcomes. American Indians
experience disproportionate rates of adverse birth outcomes. The Indian people
living in the Great Plains Area of the Indian Health Services have increased
exposure to alcohol and smoking during pregnancy. This study aims to assess the
relationship between prenatal alcohol and tobacco exposure and early
hospitalization in a rural Tribal Nation. Methods: We used data from the prospective Safe Passage
Study on pregnancies and hospitalizations within the first year of life. The
relationship between time to hospitalization and prenatal tobacco/alcohol
exposure, maternal demographics, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression
were evaluated. The analysis utilized Chi-square tests. Kaplan-Meier curves
were used to estimate the likelihood of hospitalization during the first year
of life by substance use category. Results: From a sample of 432
infants, we identified 260 (60.2%) who had a hospitalization. We found no significant effect from that if mother drank, amount drank, amount smoked or if mother smoked, on the risk of hospitalization. We did
identify an effect for exposure to alcohol or smoking and age to
hospitalization. Exposure was associated with younger age at hospitalization.
However, after controlling for mother’s age, this effect was not significant. Mother’s age was significant in all models of
hospitalization risk from parental exposure. Discussion: Reducing prenatal exposure to tobacco and
alcohol may decrease hospitalization rates for infants from this Tribal Nation,
especially among young mothers.