A Comparison of Social Determinants of Health and Maternal Mortality Rates in Detroit, Michigan, and the United States

Title: A comparison of social determinants of health and maternal mortality rates in Detroit, Michigan, and the United States Authors: Audrey Steiert, Constance Cleveland Background: Maternal mortality in the United States represents a rising healthcare crisis as the United States is the only developed country to experience an increase in the maternal mortality rate from 2000-2017. However, maternal mortality is not uniformly represented across the US–it differs regionally by state as well as by race. The maternal mortality rate in Detroit, Michigan, is three times that of the national average. Among these women, African American women were disproportionately affected. Due to the social determinants of health having a significant impact on health outcomes, we analyzed various measures across the country to provide better insight into what could be causing Detroit’s divergence from the national average. Social determinants such as median household income, education level, healthcare access, and food insecurity were the variables chosen for analysis, given their considerable effects on health outcomes. These factors help to identify the additional barriers to health that Detroit citizens face. Methods: Data regarding median household income, education level, healthcare access, and food insecurity was collected from national census records and compared using independent t-tests to analyze for a significant difference in these variables between Detroit and the country as a whole. Maternal mortality was analyzed in a similar fashion to compare for a significant difference between Detroit and the country to help identify what is causing Detroit’s divergence from national statistics. Results: Analysis demonstrated a significant difference between median household income, education level, healthcare access, and food insecurity when compared between Detroit and the United States census levels. Conclusion: These social determinants of health could predispose women in Detroit to a higher maternal mortality rate. The identification and mitigation of these social components is crucial in order to combat the rising maternal mortality rate in Detroit and in the United States overall.