@article{3151470,
    title = "Maternal social capital and birth outcomes in the mother child cohort in
Crete, Greece (Rhea study)",
    author = "Kritsotakis, George and Vassilaki, Maria and Chatzi, Leda and Georgiou, and Vaggelis and Philalithis, Anastassios E. and Kogevinas, Manolis and and Koutis, Antonis",
    journal = "Social Science & Medicine (1967)",
    year = "2011",
    volume = "73",
    number = "11",
    pages = "1653-1660",
    publisher = "PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD",
    issn = "0037-7856",
    doi = "10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.09.020",
    keywords = "Birth outcomes; Greece; Participation; Preterm birth; Small for
gestational age; Social capital",
    abstract = "This cohort study aimed to estimate the effect of individual maternal
social capital during pregnancy on birth outcomes in the context of the
Mother child cohort (Rhea study), in Crete - Greece. Women were
recruited from four prenatal clinics in Heraklion - Crete for one year
beginning in February 2007. 610 women completed the self-administered
Social Capital Questionnaire at about the 24th week of gestation. The
scale assessed total maternal social capital and four social capital
subscales: Participation in the Community, Feelings of Safety, Value of
Life and Social Agency, and Tolerance of Diversity. Potential
confounders included characteristics that have an established or
potential association w th the maternal social capital, and the birth
outcomes (preterm birth, small weight for the gestational age, fetal
weight growth restriction, weight, length and head circumference). The
results of logistic and I near regression models indicated that there
was an increase in the risk of preterm birth for every unit increase in
maternal participation (range 12-48), and especially in the risk of
medically indicated preterm birth. Although the findings suggest that
participation is associated with an increased probability for preterm
birth, we cannot know whether this is a protective or damaging social
capital effect. Women who participate more in their communities may have
enhanced access to information and/or resources, easier access to health
care and support when they face maternal and fetal conditions that
trigger the need for medical intervention. On the other hand, women may
be more exposed to social and/or environmental stressors. Future
research needs to distinguish between different types of participation
and different components of social capital to better understand their
associations with birth outcomes. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights
reserved."
}