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AN ANALYSIS OF INFANT MORTALITY RATE FROM 1995 TO 2004

ABSTRACT

Despite modest improvements in child health outcomes during the 20th century, infant and child mortality rates remain unacceptably high in Nigeria. Infant and child mortality rate in Kaduna State is a major concern as the State recorded 88 deaths per 1,000 live births and 179 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2010. The aimed of this study is to analyze infant and child mortality trends and differentials in Kaduna State, Nigeria. The objectives were to determine the level and examine the trend of infant and child mortality rate from 1995 to 2004; examine the socio-economic and demographic differentials in infant and child mortality and the factors that determine infant and child mortality rate in the study area.  Data from the hospitals in the Local Government Areas from 1995 to 2004 were analyzed to assess the trends of infant and child mortality. A total of four hundred (400) copies of semi structured questionnaire were administered using purposive sampling technique, of which 386 were found useful for analysis. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA and regression analysis using SPSS 20.0 version. The descriptive statistics showed that 66.3% of the respondents are between the ages of 20 and 34 years, 36.8% are Hausa/Fulani, 28.8% have attended secondary school, and most of the respondents (21.8%) have monthly income between ₦30,001-₦40,000. Malaria is the major cause of under-five deaths with 30.1%. Experience of under-five (U5) mortality was found to differ by education, income, and occupation. The result also shows that under-five mortality is higher between women within 15-24 than 25-34 years. Women that got married early (15-24 years) experience more under-five mortality than the adult (25-34 years). Women with no formal education were found to experience more under-five mortality than those with formal education. The level of under-five mortality in Kaduna State has remained high since the past 10 years with an estimated under-five mortality rate of 163/1,000 live births. The trends in under-five mortality in Kaduna State since 2005 has been on the decrease, although the decrease is small over the years in which 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 witnessed steady decline or no change in the trends of infant and child mortality. Six factors were significantly associated with under-5 mortality, namely, distance to health facility, age at first marriage, age of mothers, current marital status, level of education, and length of breast feeding. Logistic regression revealed that distance from the health facility had the most significant correlation (0.379), followed by age at first marriage (0.138), age of mother (0.118), marital status (0.064), level of education (0.064) and length of breast feeding contribute (0.054). On the basis of the findings, the study recommends that programme interventions need to focus on mothers with low socioeconomic status. Also, the adolescent girls should be encouraged to go to school to acquire at least secondary education. This will increase age at first birth and reduce child death at first birth. Health services should be brought nearer to the communities so that mothers can have access to health facilities during pregnancy postpartum services to reduce infant and child mortality in the State.