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Journal of Tropical Pediatrics 1987 33(6):333-336; doi:10.1093/tropej/33.6.333
© 1987 by Oxford University Press
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Spatial Variations of Low Birthweight in Cape Town

Michael R. Rip*, Cecil S. Keen** and David L. Woods***

*Department of Geography, Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan 48824, USA
**Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, University of Cape Town South Africa
***Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital South Africa

An infants' weight at birth, as well as the socio-economic environment is recognized as constituting the major risk factors associated with infant death in the new-born period. The greatest risks of morbidity and mortality exist for those infants who are born with a low birth weight (< 2500g). From a clinical perspective, much is known about low birth weight. However, few studies have considered the intra-urban variability of low birth weight from a community point of view. This study spatially analyses low birth weight rates and socio-economic status in Metropolitan Cape Town for the year 1982, in an attempt to assess the distribution of and relationship between these variables at the suburb (or community) level. Out of a total of 36789 notified live births, 4321 live singleton deliveries were infants with a birth weight <2500g. Cape Town is characterized by an elevated low birth weight rate of 12.0 per cent. The rate varies between suburbs from 1.1 to 21.0 per cent. Spatial analysis has demonstrated that variations in the occurrence of low birth weight for each suburb were significantly correlated with variations in the distribution of socio-economic status.


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