A study of the correlations of socio-economic and demographic indexes with the causes of infant mortality (a case study of isfahan province, Iran, in 2015)

Abstract

Background & Objective: The infant mortality rate is among the most rational indexes of development of societies. To provide, maintain and promote the health of infants as a vulnerable group are of prominent importance in health care. So, the present study aimed to investigate the correlations of socio-economic and demographic indexes with the causes of under-five infant mortality in Isfahan Province, Iran, in the year 2015. Methodology: In this descriptive and analytical study, the statistical population was comprised of 708 oneyear- old infants who resided in 22 townships under the coverage of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and passed away in 2015. To select samples, the total population sampling was employed (n=708). Data were gathered by the health departments based in Isfahan Province and its townships through reviewing the statistical forms, medical records, and conducting interviews with families. Additionally, the SPSS Statistics Software Version 20.0 was employed for data analysis. Findings: The results of the Chi-squared test revealed that the causes of under-five infant mortality significantly correlated with the age of infants at death (p<0.001), their mothers' age at childbirth (p=0.02), and the status of multiple pregnancy (p<0.001). The results also demonstrated that prematurity and perinatal diseases lay at the root of the death of infants at birth or younger than one month of age, while the congenital malformations accounted for the death of infants older than six months of age. Further, it was revealed that prematurity and perinatal diseases made up 56 and 51.4 of the death of infants born to mothers aged less than 20 and over 35, respectively. The results also indicated that 82.6 of the multiple births died due to prematurity. However, the congenital abnormalities accounted for the highest proportion of the causes of death among singletons. Conclusion: Prematurity, perinatal diseases and congenital disorders are among the leading causes of infant mortality. Accordingly, some major steps can be taken towards child health promotion through adequate planning in the field of encouraging women to pregnancy in safe reproductive ages (20-35 years old), equipping the health centers, improving the quality of care prior to pregnancy, during delivery, and after birth. © 2018 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved.