Socio-economic factors affecting infant mortality rate in Eskisehir province

There is more than one factor affecting infant deaths. Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) is closely related to too many factors such as socio-economic status, availability and quality of health services, disease rates, characteristics of the environment in addition to factors relating to mother and baby. The aim of the study was to analyze infant mortality rate in Eskisehir between the years of 2006-2007 with an ecological model. 
Report forms about infant deaths were taken from Provincial Directorate of Health by local health personnel. Demographic (percentage of living in the rural, percentage of illiterate women) and health service indicators (people per primary care physician and nurse, number of women at the age of 15-49 per midwife, annual average of pregnant, follow-up of babies and follow-up of women at the age of 15-49) were used in the study. Factors affecting IMR which is a dependant variable, death birth rate and Neonatal IMR were determined with univariate analyses. For the multiple linear model, the algorithm of dependant variable according to Neperian base was taken and converted into normal distribution. In evaluations under simple regression variables yielding p<0.10 value were included in the model.
In 2006-2007 period IMR was found as 14.55 ‰ and death birth rate as 11.09‰, and Neonatal infant mortality rate as 10.96‰ in Eskisehir Province. In multivariate analysis, the ratio of illiterate women and women at the age of 15-49 per midwife were found as variables affecting IMR. While independent variables affecting death birth rate are percentage of low-birth-weight babies and percentage of out of hospital birth, the variable affecting neonatal death rate was found as percentage of out of hospital birth.
It is necessary to plan services aiming at decreasing the percentage of low-birth-weight babies and home births to reduce IMR to levels of developed countries in Eskisehir.