PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES

High infant mortality as a result of low health literacy among the women in Sub- Sahara Africa

High infant mortality as a result of low health literacy among the women in Sub- Sahara Africa

Introduction

This paper is a summary of a research conducted on the topic “High infant mortality as a result of low health literacy among the women in Sub- Saharan Africa”. It also discusses the political, social and ethical issues in this context and their role in the dilemma of high infant mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Discussion and Analysis

The research supports the assertion that low health literacy rate among women in Sub-Saharan Africa is responsible for pertaining high infant mortality rate. The discussion below highlights the prime factor responsible for the present dilemma of infant mortality rate in Sub-Saharan Africa is low health literacy rate while it also discusses political, social and ethical perspectives relating to this issue.

Low health literacy rate being cause of infant mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa continues to have the highest rates of infant mortality in the world as one in eight children dies before their fifth birthday. Africa is the poorest continent in per capita income and by most health measures. High death rates among infants, children, and pregnant women and widespread HIV/AIDS infections shorten life expectancy significantly. Poverty and lack of necessities such as clean, available water, sanitation, and adequate diet are largely responsible.

Declines in infant mortality (and mortality in general) have significant implications for the gender roles and the status of women. When infant mortality is high, there is significant pressure for women to marry, often at an early age. Once married, there is cultural and social pressure to begin having children shortly after marriage, and ultimately, to have more children. High infant mortality requires higher fertility to ensure that enough children survive to adulthood to work in the family economy, continue the family line, and care for the parents in their old age. In cultures where there is a strong preference for a male child, this pressure is even greater. All projections about future change in the infant mortality rate suggest that it will continue to decline in countries throughout the world. Changes will be greatest in poorer countries. This suggests the possibility of significant transformations in the role and status of women in a variety of cultural settings.

Life expectancy is the number of years an individual can expect to live if conditions remain constant. Age at death varies tremendously from country to country and from group to group within a country.

In most countries, life expectancy increased dramatically during the 1900s due, in part, to fewer deaths among children and pregnant women. Public health measures such as access to clean water, sanitation, and vaccinations for children were largely responsible for improvements in health. Human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), however, is decreasing life expectancy in some countries.

Females live longer at every stage of life and in almost every country. While the average global life expectancy is 68 years, it is about 70 years for women and 65 for ...