Table 2 Relationship between stressful life events/social health issues, perceived discrimination and social and obstetric characteristics
No
social health
issues
Maternal age
≤24 years
≥25 years
Adjusted household
income (AUD)
<$20,000
$20,000- $40,000
>$40,000
Educational attainment
Completed Yr 12
Did not complete Yr 12
Indigenous status
Not Aboriginal and/or
Torres Strait Islander
Aboriginal and/or Torres
Strait Islander
Maternal country of birth
Born in Australia
Born overseas: English
speaking
Born overseas: non
English speaking
Relationship status
Married
Living with partner
Single/divorced/separated
One to two
social health
issues
Three or more
social health
issues
Odds Ratio
(95% CI)*
Never
experienced
discrimination
Experienced
discrimination
No. (%)
No. (%)
Odds Ratio
(95% CI)**
No. (%)
No. (%)
No. (%)
84 (20.3)
1315 (34.7)
166 (40.2)
1900 (50.2)
163 (39.5)
570 (15.1)
4.48 (3.4-5.9)
1.00 ref
250 (60.7)
2853 (75.6)
162 (39.3)
923 (24.4)
2.00 (1.6-2.5)
1.00 ref
239 (25.6)
684 (35.0)
364 (37.3)
400 (42.9)
983 (50.3)
524 (53.7)
296 (31.7)
287 (14.7)
88 (9.0)
2.95 (2.4-3.7)
1.00 ref
0.58 (0.4-0.8)
619 (66.5)
1463 (74.9)
764 (78.0)
312 (33.5)
490 (25.1)
215 (22.0)
1.50 (1.3-1.8)
1.00 ref
0.84 (0.7-1.0)
1152 (33.7)
272 (30.6)
1739 (50.9)
390 (43.8)
529 (15.5)
228 (25.6)
1.00 ref
1.83 (1.5-2.3)
2556 (74.9)
617 (69.6)
856 (25.1)
270 (30.4)
1.00 ref
1.31 (1.1-1.5)
1328 (33.2)
1999 (50.1)
713 (16.7)
100 ref
2968 (73.6)
1067 (26.4)
8 (25.8)
11 (35.5)
12 (38.7)
21 (67.7)
10 (32.3)
1165 (33.2)
1716 (48.8)
633 (18.0)
2604 (74.2)
906 (25.8)
82 (30.5)
149 (55.4)
38 (14.1)
0.85 (0.5-1.3)
195 (72.0)
76 (28.0)
1.12 (0.8-1.5)
178 (34.0)
258 (49.3)
87 (16.6)
0.90 (0.7-1.2)
381 (73.1)
140 (26.9)
1.06 (0.8-1.3)
1181 (35.7)
236 (28.3)
20 (10.4)
1696 (51.2)
379 (46.8)
61 (38.5)
437 (12.2)
219 (26.3)
111 (57.8)
1.00 ref
2.51 (2.0-3.1)
15.0 (9.2-24.4)
2511 (76.3)
555 (66.9)
119 (62.6)
779 (23.7)
274 (33.1)
71 (37.4)
1.00 ref
1.59 (1.3-1.9)
1.92 (1.4-2.6)
2.79 (1.1-6.9)
1.00 ref
1.00 ref
1.32 (0.6-2.8)
1.00 ref
Maternal pre-pregnant
BMI
Underweight (<18.5)
Normal weight (18.524.9)
Overweight (25-29.9)
Obese (≥30)
46 (25.3)
91 (50.0)
45 (24.7)
2.08 (1.4-3.2)
121 (68.0)
1802 (75.5)
57 (32.0)
586 (24.5)
1.44 (1.0-2.0)
1.00 ref
814 (34.0)
308 (34.0)
184 (31.6)
1197 (50.0)
435 (48.1)
284 (48.7)
382 (16.0)
162 (17.9)
115 (19.7)
1.00 ref
1.12 (0.9-1.4)
1.33 (1.0-1.7)
669 (74.0)
412 (71.0)
235 (26.0)
168 (29.0)
1.08 (0.9-1.3)
1.25 (1.0-1.5)
1232 (35.1)
95 (27.1)
1760 (50.2)
169 (48.2)
514 (14.7)
87 (24.8)
1.00 ref
2.20 (1.6-3.0)
2623 (75.2)
248 (71.5)
864 (24.8)
99 (28.5)
1.00 ref
1.21 (0.9-1.5)
86 (21.5)
162 (40.5)
152 (38.0)
4.24 (3.2-5.6)
245 (62.0)
150 (38.0)
1.86 (1.5-2.3)
Medical risk
Lower risk
Higher risk
960 (36.3)
480 (28.2)
1295 (48.9)
849 (49.8)
392 (14.8)
376 (22.1)
1.00 ref
1.92 (1.6-2.3)
2008 (76.3)
1184 (70.0)
624 (23.7)
508 (30.0)
1.00ref
1.38 (1.2-1.6)
Gestation
≥37 weeks
<37 weeks
1333 (33.7)
79 (28.3)
1939 (49.0)
146 (52.3)
686 (17.33)
54 (19.4)
1.00 ref
1.32 (0.9-1.9)
2913 (74.1)
198 (71.2)
1020 (25.9)
80 (28.8)
1.00 ref
1.15 (0.9-1.5)
Infant birthweight
≥2500 grams
<2500 grams
1332 (33.6)
44 (24.7)
1954 (49.3)
88 (49.4)
676 (17.1)
46 (25.8)
1.00 ref
2.06 (1.3-3.1)
2903 (73.8)
121 (68.0)
1032 (26.2)
57 (32.0)
1.00 ref
1.32 (1.0-1.8)
Smoking during
pregnancy
Non-smoker
Quit in pregnancy
Smoking throughout
pregnancy
* Odds ratios in this column refer to comparisons between women who experienced ≥2 stressful life events with those who experienced no events
** Odds ratios in the last column refer to comparisons between women who experienced discrimination with those reporting no discrimination.