Early mortality from external causes in Aboriginal mothers: a retrospective cohort study
Abstract Background Maternal loss can have a deep-rooted impact on families. Whilst a disproportionate number of Aboriginal women die from potentially preventable causes, no research has investigated mortality in Aboriginal mothers. We aimed to examine the elevated mortality risk in Aboriginal mothe...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2016-06-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-016-3101-2 |
| _version_ | 1817988350341021696 |
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| author | Jenny Fairthorne Roz Walker Nick de Klerk Carrington Shepherd |
| author_facet | Jenny Fairthorne Roz Walker Nick de Klerk Carrington Shepherd |
| author_sort | Jenny Fairthorne |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Maternal loss can have a deep-rooted impact on families. Whilst a disproportionate number of Aboriginal women die from potentially preventable causes, no research has investigated mortality in Aboriginal mothers. We aimed to examine the elevated mortality risk in Aboriginal mothers with a focus on external causes. Methods We linked data from four state administrative datasets to identify all women who had a child from 1983 to 2010 in Western Australia and ascertained their Aboriginality, socio-demographic details, and their dates and causes of death prior to 2011. Comparing Aboriginal mothers with other mothers, we estimated the hazard ratios (HRs) for death by any external cause and each of the sub-categories of accident, suicide, and homicide, and the corresponding age of their youngest child. Results Compared to non-Aboriginal mothers and after adjustment for parity, socio-economic status and remoteness, Aboriginal mothers were more likely to die from accidents [HR = 6.43 (95 % CI: 4.9, 8.4)], suicide [HR = 3.46 (95 % CI: 2.2, 5.4)], homicide [HR = 17.46 (95 % CI: 10.4, 29.2)] or any external cause [HR = 6.61 (95 % CI: 5.4, 8.1)]. For mothers experiencing death, the median age of their youngest child was 4.8 years. Conclusion During the study period, Aboriginal mothers were much more likely to die than other mothers and they usually left more and younger children. These increased rates were only partly explained by socio-demographic circumstances. Further research is required to examine the risk factors associated with these potentially preventable deaths and to enable the development of informed health promotion to increase the life chances of Aboriginal mothers and their children. |
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8a3f15545a6b43268bd0740664a7a9ef |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T00:33:11Z |
| publishDate | 2016-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-8a3f15545a6b43268bd0740664a7a9ef2022-12-22T02:22:29ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582016-06-0116111110.1186/s12889-016-3101-2Early mortality from external causes in Aboriginal mothers: a retrospective cohort studyJenny Fairthorne0Roz Walker1Nick de Klerk2Carrington Shepherd3Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western AustraliaTelethon Kids Institute, University of Western AustraliaTelethon Kids Institute, University of Western AustraliaTelethon Kids Institute, University of Western AustraliaAbstract Background Maternal loss can have a deep-rooted impact on families. Whilst a disproportionate number of Aboriginal women die from potentially preventable causes, no research has investigated mortality in Aboriginal mothers. We aimed to examine the elevated mortality risk in Aboriginal mothers with a focus on external causes. Methods We linked data from four state administrative datasets to identify all women who had a child from 1983 to 2010 in Western Australia and ascertained their Aboriginality, socio-demographic details, and their dates and causes of death prior to 2011. Comparing Aboriginal mothers with other mothers, we estimated the hazard ratios (HRs) for death by any external cause and each of the sub-categories of accident, suicide, and homicide, and the corresponding age of their youngest child. Results Compared to non-Aboriginal mothers and after adjustment for parity, socio-economic status and remoteness, Aboriginal mothers were more likely to die from accidents [HR = 6.43 (95 % CI: 4.9, 8.4)], suicide [HR = 3.46 (95 % CI: 2.2, 5.4)], homicide [HR = 17.46 (95 % CI: 10.4, 29.2)] or any external cause [HR = 6.61 (95 % CI: 5.4, 8.1)]. For mothers experiencing death, the median age of their youngest child was 4.8 years. Conclusion During the study period, Aboriginal mothers were much more likely to die than other mothers and they usually left more and younger children. These increased rates were only partly explained by socio-demographic circumstances. Further research is required to examine the risk factors associated with these potentially preventable deaths and to enable the development of informed health promotion to increase the life chances of Aboriginal mothers and their children.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-016-3101-2AboriginalMotherDeathLinked dataHomicideSuicide |
| spellingShingle | Jenny Fairthorne Roz Walker Nick de Klerk Carrington Shepherd Early mortality from external causes in Aboriginal mothers: a retrospective cohort study BMC Public Health Aboriginal Mother Death Linked data Homicide Suicide |
| title | Early mortality from external causes in Aboriginal mothers: a retrospective cohort study |
| title_full | Early mortality from external causes in Aboriginal mothers: a retrospective cohort study |
| title_fullStr | Early mortality from external causes in Aboriginal mothers: a retrospective cohort study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Early mortality from external causes in Aboriginal mothers: a retrospective cohort study |
| title_short | Early mortality from external causes in Aboriginal mothers: a retrospective cohort study |
| title_sort | early mortality from external causes in aboriginal mothers a retrospective cohort study |
| topic | Aboriginal Mother Death Linked data Homicide Suicide |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-016-3101-2 |
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