CRS: The U.S. Infant Mortality Rate: International Comparisons, Underlying Factors, and Federal Programs, Elayne J. Heisler, Analyst in Health Services, April 4, 2012
“The infant mortality rate (IMR)the number of deaths occurring in the first year of life per 1,000 live birthsis a widely used proxy for the health status of a nation, and is commonly used for international comparisons. As of 2008, the U.S. IMR was 6.6, a historically low rate of the United States, but a rate that is still higher than the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) average of 4.6. The relatively high U.S. rateand the number of infant deaths it indicatesconcerns some policymakers. In addition, there is concern that the U.S. IMR has leveled off after four decades of decline. Reducing the U.S. IMR has beenand continues to bea recognized public health objective. Researchers and policymakers debate the various factors that may explain the high U.S. IMR relative to other developed countries and its recent stagnation. Potential factors include international differences in the recording of live births, different rates of low birthweight and short gestational age births, and racial and ethnic disparities. Researchers conclude that international recording differences do not explain the relatively high U.S. IMR. In addition, the data suggest that racial disparities may only partially explain the relatively high U.S. IMR. Instead, researchers suggest that higher U.S. rates of low birthweight and short gestational age births may explain the relatively high U.S. IMR.”
Sorry, comments are closed for this post.