Determinants of Infant Mortality in Rural Kenya
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Date
2014
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IISTE (International Institute for Science, Technology and Education).
Abstract
Findings of 2008/09 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey reveal that one in every 19 live births dies before
age one. The most striking observation is the reversal in infant mortality based on type of place of residence. The
report indicates that, unlike what preceding surveys reported, infant mortality is high in urban than in rural
Kenya. This study used Cox regression analysis to examine the determinants of infant mortality in rural Kenya.
Analytical results show that region, maternal age, birth order/preceding birth interval, and source of drinking
water are significantly related to post-neonatal mortality in rural Kenya. Further, occupation of the mother,
region, birth order/preceding birth interval, and source of drinking water were found to be significantly related to
infant mortality in rural Kenya. Unlike in the case of post-neonatal mortality where births in Nyanza were found
to be 154 percent more likely to die relative to those in Central, the study found Nyanza residence not to be
significantly related to infant mortality. The study findings indicate that health policy initiatives meant to kindle
family planning methods that shall result in increased birth spacing and reduced higher order births are welcome
in the quest to reduce infant mortality further. Seemingly, maternal education is losing grip on early childhood
mortality. Future research should focus on bringing out an understanding of the role of maternal education on
infant mortality.
Key words: post-neonate, infant, mortality, rural Kenya
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Research