Complaints about excessive use of police force in women’s neighborhoods and subsequent perinatal and cardiovascular health

Abstract

There are substantial, unexplained racial disparities in women’s health. Some of the most pronounced involve elevated rates of preterm delivery (PTD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) among Black women. We hypothesized that stress associated with excessive use of force by police may contribute to these disparities. In two prospective cohorts derived from electronic health records (pregnancy cohort, N = 67,976; CVD cohort, N = 6773), we linked formal complaints of excessive police force in patients’ neighborhoods with health outcomes. Exposed Black women were 1.19 times as likely to experience PTD [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04 to 1.35] and 1.42 times as likely to develop CVD (95% CI: 1.12 to 1.79), even after adjustment for neighborhood disadvantage and homicide. The excess risks of PTD were also observed in maternal fixed-effects analyses comparing births to the same woman. These findings suggest police violence may be an unrecognized contributor to health inequity for Black women.

Association of Birth Year of Pregnant Individuals With Trends in Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy in the United States, 1995-2019

“…30,31 Race-and ethnicity-based differences in related birth outcomes (preterm birth and low birth weight) have also been associated with individual-level reports of racial and ethnic discrimination as well as neighborhood-level factors, such as census-block reports of excessive use of force by law enforcement officers. 32,33 Our analyses also demonstrate greater RRs for the incidence of new-onset HDP among older pregnant individuals at delivery who did not identify as White. This dynamic was associated with widening racial and ethnic gaps for new-onset HDP among older age groups.…”

“… 30 , 31 Race- and ethnicity-based differences in related birth outcomes (preterm birth and low birth weight) have also been associated with individual-level reports of racial and ethnic discrimination as well as neighborhood-level factors, such as census-block reports of excessive use of force by law enforcement officers. 32 , 33 …”

Disaggregating Asian American and Pacific Islander Risk of Fatal Police Violence

“…Furthermore, our findings have broad public health importance given potential implications of fatal police violence for the health of people of the decedent’s community and same racial and ethnic group, which may be even more significant in smaller ethnic groups or tight-knit ethnic communities and/or if these deaths involve immigration enforcement agents [ 19 ]. Recent studies, for example, have indicated that fatal police violence likely has spillover effects, impacting the mental, perinatal, and cardiovascular health of community members with the same racial/ethnic background as decedents [ 20 – 23 ]. Previous studies of racial/ethnic inequities in police violence have largely ignored national/ethnic heterogeneity within larger racial/ethnic groups [ 2 , 3 , 24 , 25 ], as needed data rarely exists.…”

Connecting the Dots: Structural Racism, Intersectionality, and Cardiovascular Health Outcomes for African, Caribbean, and Black Mothers

“… 16 Black women living in communities with excessive police force are more likely to experience cardiovascular disease than White women. 17 Cardiovascular diseases are associated with racism, with post-traumatic stress disorder markedly explaining this relationship. 18 …”