The primary area of research will be hispanic perinatal health - its determinants and its relationship to psychosocial factors such as acculturation. Hispanic women and children are a vulnerable population as a consequence of their high levels of poverty, low education, and isolation from the health care system. Hispanic women have received relatively little attention in the past due to their relatively good pregnancy outcomes. Recent studies, however, show these outcomes deteriorate over time and generationally. It appears that as Hispanic women become increasingly exposed to U.S culture and thus more 'acculturated"""""""", their risk for poor pregnancy outcomes increases. The public health research to date examining this phenomenon is relatively new and sparse. Thus, little is known about the possible factors involved in acculturation or how to mitigate its effects. Thr principal goal of this doctoral research is to elucidate further the relationship between Hispanic perinatal outcomes and acculturation.
