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Notes: Abstract  Given inconclusive findings regarding racial/ethnic differences in risk for intimate partner violence (IPV), this study will estimate annual prevalence and severity of IPV and associated risk factors of homicide among a multiethnic population of English- and Spanish-speaking African American, White, and Hispanic women receiving public primary health care. A personal interview survey was conducted using three measurement instruments including a brief two-question screen. The sample consisted of 7,443 women, aged 18–44 years, receiving care at urban, primary health care clinics in southern Texas. White women disclosed abuse at a rate of 8.9%, followed by African American women at 6.0% and Hispanic women at 5.3%. More abuse was reported by White and African American women compared to Hispanic women. Use of a brief two-question screen provides racial/ethnic specific surveillance data for patient care programming and can track progress toward decreasing violence against women.

Notes: Maternal smoking during pregnancy is recognized as an important and modifiable risk factor for low infant birthweight. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of maternal smoking status on prenatal weight gain and infant birthweight, and to determine if maternal weight gain mediates the effect of smoking cessation on infant birthweight.〈section xml:id="abs1-2"〉〈title type="main"〉Methods:This prospective study of 341 white, non-Hispanic pregnant smokers, never smokers, and women who stopped smoking during pregnancy used multivariate analysis of variance to evaluate prenatal weight gain patterns. Multiple regression was used to investigate the effects of smoking status and maternal weight gain on infant birthweight.〈section xml:id="abs1-3"〉〈title type="main"〉Results:Women who stopped smoking gained on average 39.68 lb during pregnancy. Smokers gained 32.75 lb, and never smokers gained 34.16 lb. Women who stopped gained significantly more weight than both smokers and never smokers (p= 0.01). Rates of weight gain differed significantly beginning in the second trimester, when women who stopped smoking gained more weight than never smokers (2.57 lb, 99% CI = 0.46, 8.07) and continued during the third trimester, with those who stopped smoking gaining more weight than both smokers (4.31 lb, 99% CI = 1.88, 12.00) and never smokers (1.25 lb, 99% CI = 0.56, 10.49). Infant birthweight differences were significant for women who stopped smoking versus continuing smokers (292 g, 99% CI = 145, 440) and for never smokers versus continuing smokers (253 g, 99% CI = 104, 401). Controlling for baseline maternal body mass index and infant gender, smoking status and weight gain each contributed significantly to infant birthweight (p〈0.001). No evidence of interaction between smoking status and weight gain on infant birthweight was found.〈section xml:id="abs1-4"〉〈title type="main"〉Conclusions:Maternal smoking status significantly affects prenatal weight gain and infant birthweight, but smoking cessation protects against lower birthweight through mechanisms other than increased maternal weight gain or different weight gain patterns. (BIRTH 24:4, December 1997)