EPIDEMIOLOGY

Epidemiology - Infant Mortality

Epidemiology - Infant Mortality

Introduction

The infant mortality rate “is regarded as one of the most revealing measures of how well a society is meeting the need of its people”. Infant mortality is one of the most important determinants of the health of a population. It reflects not only public health, but also environmental, economic, social and political problems. “It is considered as an indicator of deprivation in comparisons of groups within a society, as well as comparisons among societies”. Infant mortality is also cited as a cause for concern about teenage pregnancy, health services technology, racial disparities, and federal spending on social welfare programs. Studies of infant mortality are important because they can help increase infant survival, improve infant health and reduce premature mortality for the entire population. There is a government document, “Health People 2010”, which is released by approximately 400 national and state health departments to establish national healthcare goals. One of the goals is to reduce the infant mortality rate. In 2003, nearly nine out of 100 Delaware babies are born too small, the highest rate in the past 20 years and well above the national average (David, 2007, p. 14). The increase in low birth-weight babies has contributed to a rise in Delaware's infant death rate. In Delaware, the infant mortality rate went up since 1995. This trend shows that Delaware is headed in the opposite direction of the goal and the nation. Researchers are unsure exactly why the rates have been rising in Delaware. Suggested reasons include an increase in the number of women getting pregnant later in life and using fertility treatments, as well as lack of access to prenatal care for low income women. Also, the growing stress and anxiety of daily life could be a contributing factor. As a result, we need to do more research on finding the answer to the question of why the infant mortality rate went up and the risk factors that influenced this increase (Byard, 2001, p. 33).

Discussion

The infant mortality rate (IMR) is the number of deaths occurring within the first year of life per 1000 live births. However, the distribution of deaths is highly skewed with most occurring within the first 27 days of life. Because of this, infant mortality is often broken into neonatal and post neonatal mortality. For example, in 2002 approximately one half of all infant deaths in the U.S. occurred within the first week, and two-thirds occurred within the first 27 days. The Neonatal mortality rate (NMR) is the number of deaths occurring within the first 27 days of life, per 1000 live births. Post neonatal mortality rate (PMR) is the number of deaths occurring between 28 and 364 days of life, per 1000 live births (Mainard, 1996, p. 56). IMR is equal to the sum of NMR and PMR.

Inequality and its social consequences have been central themes in many major sociological theories. The founding fathers of sociology were concerned with the advent of industrial society and ...