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Low Birthweight

	More info on Low Birthweight Case Study: Is low birthweight a health problem? Is it changing over time? Where is the problem? Who is affected? Is it changing among specific groups over time?

Introduction

Data from the Pregnancy Nutrition Surveillance System (PNSS) can be used to describe the prevalence of various infant health indicators for infants born to mothers participating in public health programs. Using PNSS data for the 2002 reporting year from a state WIC (Special Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) program, an epidemiologic approach will be used to describe the prevalence of low birthweight in terms of time, place, and person by answer the following questions:

• What: Is low birthweight a health problem?
• When: Is low birthweight increasing or decreasing over time?
• Where: Where do the highest or lowest prevalence of low birthweight occur?
• Who: Which mothers are most or least likely to deliver a low birthweight infant?
• Who and When: Is low birthweight prevalence increasing or decreasing among racial and ethnic groups over time?

When using an epidemiologic approach, it is important to assess data quality before analyzing the data. For this example assume that data quality is acceptable. The next step is to determine the extent of the health problem in the state WIC Program using PNSS data tables.

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This page last updated April 11, 2005

United States Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity