# Racial/ethnic disparities in care practices, outcomes, and hospital transfer among infants born at 22-29 weeks gestation

> **NIH NIH R03** · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT COLUMBIA · 2020 · $74,500

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Being born extremely preterm is a major contributor to infant mortality and short and long-term
morbidities and places a significant burden on the healthcare system. Fortunately, rates of
mortality and several major morbidities among the most immature infants have been
decreasing. However, it is not known whether the improvement in outcomes has been equally
shared among racial groups. Data on utilization of perinatal and postnatal care practices among
the different races are also very limited. Additionally, no studies to date have examined whether
racial disparities exist in transfer to higher level neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), and if
transferred, whether transfers are delayed among preterm births occurring in lower level care
facilities.
The aims of the proposed study are to examine racial disparities among preterm infants born
between 22 and 29 weeks' gestation in: 1) postnatal care practices and an evidence-based
practice score reflecting perinatal and postnatal interventions for the care of preterm infants; 2)
mortality and major morbidities overall and overtime; 3) transfer and transfer delays to higher
level NICUs. To address this, we propose a large-scale observational study using data collected
prospectively between 2006 and 2017 from 1,014 hospitals with NICUs located in the U.S. and
participating in the Vermont Oxford Network (VON). This data represents 88% of 22 to 29-week
births occurring in the U.S. Data are collected by the member hospitals through medical record
abstraction and are submitted to the VON either electronically or through mailing or faxing the
paper forms. Hospitals submit data on pregnancy complications, perinatal and postnatal care
practices, newborn surgeries, in-hospital mortality, and morbidities. Infants transferred from the
birth hospital to another hospital are also tracked for survival status until ultimate disposition or
the infant's first birthday.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9843464
- **Project number:** 5R03HD097305-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT COLUMBIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Nansi Boghossian
- **Activity code:** R03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $74,500
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-01-01 → 2021-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9843464

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9843464, Racial/ethnic disparities in care practices, outcomes, and hospital transfer among infants born at 22-29 weeks gestation (5R03HD097305-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9843464. Licensed CC0.

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