Infant Mortality-Less Than One Year of Age[view
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Infant Mortality-Neonatal (Under 28 Days of Age)[view
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Infant Mortality-Postneonatal (28 Days-1 Year of Age)[view
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Data Provider:NYS Department of Health
Life
Area: Physical and Emotional Health
Definition:
Infant mortality is the number of deaths to infants under one year of age. Neonatal mortality is the number of deaths to infants under 28 days of age. Postneonatal mortality is the number of deaths to infants at 28 days of age, but under one year of age. The annual number of these deaths per 1,000 live births occurring during the year is the infant, neonatal, or postneonatal mortality rate. Because infant, neonatal, or postneonatal deaths are relatively rare events in many counties, the numbers and rates are presented as three-year averages. This is necessary to improve the reliability (or stability) of the data. For example, in a small county, a serious tragedy such as a fatal fire or an automobile accident may cause the infant, neonatal, or postneonatal mortality rate to fluctuate greatly from one year to another.
Significance:
Infant, neonatal, and postneonatal mortality is one of the most widely used indicators of the health and welfare of a population as it reflects the general state of maternal health and the effectiveness of primary health care systems. Infant, neonatal, and postneonatal mortality rates have declined steadily since the 1970s, primarily due to advances in neonatal care (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2000). However, as of 2000, the United States ranked 27th among industrialized countries that report these rates to the World Health Organization (National Center for Health Statistics, 2004).
Low birthweight is the most important predictor of infant mortality. In 2002, 60.3 percent of all infant deaths in the United States occurred to the 7.8 percent of infants born at low birthweight (<2500 grams). Other factors associated with higher rates of infant mortality include: maternal age (either mothers in their teens or older than 40), low maternal education, maternal smoking, low socioeconomic status, multiple birth and fourth or higher in birth order (National Center for Health Statistics, 2004: Table 25).
Healthy People 2010 objectives call for a national reduction in the infant mortality rate to no more than 4.5 per 1,000 live births. The objectives also call for a national reduction in the neonatal, and postneonatal mortality rate to no more than 2.9 and 1.5, respectively, per 1,000 live births (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2000).
The U.S. infant mortality rate decreased between 2002 and 2003 to 6.8 per 1,000 live births. In 2002 however, the U.S. infant mortality rate increased for the first time in 40 years. (For a detailed explanation of recent changes in infant mortality refer to National Vital Statistics Reports, Volume 53, Number 12, January 24, 2005).
Findings:
The infant mortality rate in New York State has declined steadily since 1970. An average of 1,435 infants died each year between 2004-2006 at a rate of 5.8 deaths per 1,000 live births. The 2004-2006 infant mortality rate was 4.9% lower than the 1999-2001 rate of 6.1 per 1,000 live births. New York State has still not met the year 2010 national health objective of no more than 4.5 infant deaths per 1,000 live births.
In the early 1990s, New York City consistently had an infant mortality rate that was higher than Rest of State but in recent years, rates in these two regions have been about the same. For the time period 2004-2006, the infant death rate among New York City residents and among residents of Rest of State was 5.8 per 1,000 live births.
Neonatal mortality, like infant mortality, has declined significantly over the past decade. Recently, however, the rate of decline has slowed. The neonatal mortality rate in New York State was 4.0 per 1,000 live births in 2004-2006, down from 4.2 in 1999-2001. In both New York City and Rest of State the rate declined slightly with New York City reporting a slightly lower rate (3.8) than Rest of State (4.1).
The post-neonatal mortality rate in New York State has also declined significantly over the decade. Between 1994-1996 and 2001-2003, it declined 22 percent to 1.8 per 1,000 live births. During 2004-2006 the rate remained at 1.8 per 1,000 live births. The New York City rate, at 1.9 per 1,000 live births, was higher than the 1.7 rate in Rest of State.
References:
National Center for Health Statistics. 2004. Health, United States, 2004 with Socioeconomic Status and Health Chartbook. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2000. Healthy People 2010 (Conference Edition in Two Volumes). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol.53, No. 12, January 24, 2005.
KWIC
Indicator(s) and Narrative For: