Table 2 Description of the 6 categorical predictor variables selected for predicting normal birth weight against low birth weight. For each variable, the number of categories
From: Exploring parental factors influencing low birth weight on the 2022 CDC natality dataset
Category | Variable | Description | Number (percent) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Ethnicity | MRACE15 | Maternal ethnicity | White | 1,357,994 (59.0) |
Hispanic | 491,418 (21.3) | |||
Black | 267,922 (11.6) | |||
Asian | 167,357 (7.3) | |||
Indigenous | 13,677 (0.6) | |||
Pacific Islanders | 5,354 (0.2) | |||
FRACE15 | Paternal ethnicity | White | 1,356,042 (58.9) | |
Hispanic | 457,292 (19.9) | |||
Black | 319,525 (13.9) | |||
Asian | 151,372 (6.6) | |||
Indigenous | 13,534 (0.6) | |||
Pacific Islanders | 5,957 (0.3) | |||
Newborn sex | SEX | Newborn’s sex | Male | 1,173,414 (50.9) |
Female | 1,130,308 (49.1) | |||
Socioeconomic | MEDUC | Maternal education level | 8th grade or less | 51,656 (2.2) |
9th through 12th grade with no diploma | 124,089 (5.3) | |||
High school graduate or GED completed | 530,308 (23.0) | |||
Some college credit, but not a degree | 401,453 (17.4) | |||
Associate degree (AA, AS) | 209,008 (9.1) | |||
Bachelor’s degree (BA, AB, BS) | 60,3961 (26.2) | |||
Master’s degree (MA, MS, MEng, MEd, MSW, MBA) | 295,846 (12.8) | |||
Doctorate (PhD, EdD) or Professional Degree (MD, DDS, DVM, LLB, JD) | 87,401 (3.8) | |||
FEDUC | Paternal education level | 8th grade or less | 62,893 (2.7) | |
9th through 12th grade with no diploma | 155,774 (6.8) | |||
High school graduate or GED completed | 683,298 (29.7) | |||
Some college credit, but not a degree | 404,908 (17.6) | |||
Associate degree (AA, AS) | 174,720 (7.6) | |||
Bachelor’s degree (BA, AB, BS) | 527,983 (22.9) | |||
Master’s degree (MA, MS, MEng, MEd, MSW, MBA) | 204,495 (8.9) | |||
Doctorate (PhD, EdD) or Professional Degree (MD, DDS, DVM, LLB, JD) | 89,651 (3.89) | |||
MBSTATE_REC | Maternal origin | US born | 1,819,958 (79.0) | |
born outside | 483,764 (21.0) | |||