Determinants of Infant Mortality in Kersa Demographic and Health Survey : A Case Control Study

Background:Infant and child mortality has long been used as indicators of the level of socioeconomic development of a country. Various studies have been conducted to show factors affecting child mortality in both developed and developing countries. The aim of this study was to assess the determinants of infant mortality in Kersa District, from January 2010 to May 2011.

Methodology: A case-control study was carried out among 200 cases and 800 control . Cases were defined as all deaths within the first year of life. As controls, there were four selected children born within ±1weeks of died baby who was of the same sex, living in the same residence area  and did not die within their first year of life. Socio demographic economic and environmental factors were assessed for all live births in the 2007-2010 periods with a completed live-birth registration and whose mothers lived in the district. Multiple variable analyses were performed using logistic regression.

RESULTS: eighty five (42.5%) of the cases were female and 115 (57.5%) were male. Concerning the occurrences of mortality, all deaths were registered among Muslim religion 200(100%), Oromo by their ethnicity 198(99%) and married 176(88%). The variables gestational age less than 37 weeks, educational status of mothers (illiterate), place of seeking health care (treatment out of health institutions), expenditures less than 500, un protected source of water, mothers age at current delivery less than 20 years and presence of next to last child were found to be predictors of infant mortality after controlling for possible confounders.

CONCLUSION:  Illiteracy of mothers, early age of delivery, unsanitary waste disposal were associated with infant mortality. Improved maternal education, environmental sanitations, safe water supply, reproductive health care and reduction in the prevalence preterm delivery, and qualified delivery care can allow for interventions by the health care team were recommended