Ethnic Disparities in Prenatal Care Adequacy in Vietnam: An Analysis of Change

• In Event: 392 - Section on Asia and Asian America Roundtable Session (one-hour).
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 06. Class, Inequality, and Social Mobility

Abstract

This study examines ethnic disparities in adequate use of prenatal care as the combination of three patterns, initiation of care, continuation of care and care provider in Vietnam and how these disparities change in five year period. The Vietnam Demographic and Health Surveys in 1997 and 2002 were employed to explore the individual-, household-, and community factors influencing the choice of adequate prenatal care besides ethnicity. Women with single, live births were selected from the 1997 and 2002 survey (N = 1,070 and 1,008, respectively). Multinomial logistic regression results showed that ethnicity (ethnic majority or minority) did not account for adequate use of prenatal care. In fact choice of care depends on other individual-, household-, and community factors. Parity of one or two children and having piped water as source of drinking water consistently predicted adequate prenatal care. Results from two surveys revealed some variations and changes of determinants of prenatal care adequacy. In 1997 having more than three valuable assets, being urban resident and living in Mekong River Delta and Southeast encouraged choice of adequate care. In 2002 education attainment and media exposure influenced adequacy of prenatal care but residents of Mekong River Delta and Southeast were at risk of inadequate care. These findings highlighted that the disparities created by remoteness and wealth might predict adequate use of prenatal care in 1997. However, five years of sustainable economic growth might bring about some other socioeconomic factors that challenged the adequacy of prenatal care utilization.

Authors

• Ha Ngoc Trinh, University of Utah

• Kim M. Korinek, University of Utah