SBC Public HealthBy the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department
The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department has analyzed local birth data from 2017 through 2021 through a survey of birth certificates in Santa Barbara County and has compiled a report highlighting key findings. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, birth rate is one of the most important determinants of population growth, potentially impacting policy decisions about the health system, education, and economy. Reporting on birth data is an essential component of understanding the health of residents.
The 2021 Santa Barbara County birth rate was 57.7 births per 1,000 women of child bearing age, an increase from the previous year. Although California data is not yet available for 2021, the County rate has been higher than the State rate since 2019 and projected to continue the trend when 2021 State data is available.
Evaluating the last five years of available data, there were significant differences in birth rates between Hispanic mothers and multiracial mothers compared to White, Asian, and Black mothers. In 2021, Black mothers had the lowest birth rate at 26.5 births per 1,000 population compared to Hispanic mothers with the highest rate of 80.3 births per 1,000 population.
Analyzing birth data by region showed that mother’s education level at delivery was drastically different across the County with 90% of Central and South County mothers having at least a high school equivalent compared to 55% of North County mothers. Additional geographic analysis found South County had a 16% higher rate of initiating prenatal care in the first three months of pregnancy compared to North County. As this data highlights geographical differences in birth data, understanding how place impacts health is central to implementing public health interventions and working with communities to achieve health equity, a goal of the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department.
“Birth data informs and guides existing Public Health programs such as Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health (MCAH),” shared Deputy Director for Community Health Paige Batson. “By being data driven, while still factoring in feedback from the clients we serve, our teams can ensure that communities most in need are the focus of outreach efforts and can work to provide critical linkages to needed services.”
The report also reviews additional data collected from birth certificates including infant birthweight, premature birth percentages, gestational diabetes incidence, and birth rates to adolescent mothers. To learn more, visit the Santa Barbara County Birth Report.
