Testing the Paradox in Birth Weight amongst a Population in Juarez-El Paso

Georgina Martinez, University of Texas at Austin
Ann M. Moore, Alan Guttmacher Institute

This paper focuses on birth weight and the very well known phenomenon named the "epidemiological paradox". Objectives: 1) to contrast the factors predicting low birthweight for a survey population in a hospital in El Paso compared to the general population in El Paso 2) to test the selective migration and cultural hypotheses to explain better birth outcomes for babies born to women born in Mexico in comparison to women born in the US through the variables of nativity and place of education. We use a sample of babies born during 1996-1997 in Thomason Hospital and the vital registrations for births in El Paso County. We use Ordinary Least Squares to establish variables predicting low birth weight and we will perform a multinomial logistic regression adding cultural and migration variables to evaluate their effects on low birth weight according to where mothers were born and completed their education.