TY - JOUR T1 - Severe sociopolitical stressors and preterm births in New York City: 1 September 2015 to 31 August 2017 JF - Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health JO - J Epidemiol Community Health SP - 1147 LP - 1152 DO - 10.1136/jech-2018-211077 VL - 72 IS - 12 AU - Nancy Krieger AU - Mary Huynh AU - Wenhui Li AU - Pamela D Waterman AU - Gretchen Van Wye Y1 - 2018/12/01 UR - http://jech.bmj.com/content/72/12/1147.abstract N2 - Background Severe stressors can induce preterm birth (PTB; gestation <37 weeks), with such stressors including social and economic threats, interpersonal violence, hate crimes and severe sociopolitical stressors (ie, arising from political leaders’ threatening rhetoric or from political legislation). We analysed temporal changes in risk of PTB among immigrant, Hispanic and Muslim populations targeted in the US 2016 presidential election and its aftermath.Methods Trend analysis of all singleton births in New York City from 1 September 2015 to 31 August 2017 (n=230 105).Results Comparing the period before the US presidential nomination (1 September 2015 to 31 July 2016) to the post-inauguration period (1 January 2017 to 31 August 2017), the overall PTB rate increased from 7.0% to 7.3% (relative risk (RR): 1.04; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.07). Among Hispanic women, the highest post-inauguration versus pre-inauguration increase occurred among foreign-born Hispanic women with Mexican or Central American ancestry (RR: 1.15; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.31). The post-inauguration versus pre-inauguration PTB rate also was higher for women from the Middle East/North Africa and from the travel ban countries, although non-significant due to the small number of events.Conclusion Severe sociopolitical stressors may contribute to increases in the risk of PTB among targeted populations. ER -