Preventable infant mortality: Spatial distribution and main causes in three Brazilian municipalities

Rosana Rosseto de Oliveira, Thais Aidar de Freitas Mathias

Graduate Nursing Program, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Brazil;.
Nursing Department, Graduate Nursing Program, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Brazil.

DOI: 10.4236/health.2013.510209                

Abstract

Objective: The objective was to identify spatial distribution patterns for preventable infant mortality and the main causes of death in three municipalities of Paraná state, Brazil. Design and Sample: Ecological study on infant mortality among residents of the municipalities of Maringá, Sarandi and Pai?andu, between 2004 and 2008. Measures: Data were obtained from reports by the Infant Mortality Prevention Committee, georeferenced in 19 Demographic Expansion Areas and analyzed statistically using Local Moran’s Index. Results: Of the 284 deaths among children under one year of age, 68.7% were considered preventable, and higher percentages were found in outlying areas. The main causes were illnesses originated during the perinatal period (73.8%), external causes (11.3%) and diseases of the respiratory system (5.1%). Conclusion: It is necessary to implement actions and policies on child and prenatal assistance, in order to reduce the inequality observed between the central and outlying areas of the region under study.

Keywords

Infant Health; Mortality; Public Health; Population-Based Nursing

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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