Health Policy & Management: Faculty Publications (2006-2018)

Race-Related Disparities in Infant Mortality in the United States

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-2013

Publication Title

European Journal of Scientific Research

ISSN

1450-202X

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this research is to describe race-related disparities in infant mortality rates, their geographic variation and trends, and to highlight the contributory factors for existence and persistence of disparities.

Methods: We used data from secondary sources, with infant mortality data from CDC Wonder.

Results: Despite efforts in the United States at local, state, and federal levels to lower the rates of infant mortality and eliminate the subgroup differences, there is little success in reducing the disparities. Our research suggests that race-related differences in infant mortality not only exist presently, they have persisted for years, and the gaps among different race/ethnicity groups are not narrowing.

Conclusions: Disparities among black and white infants continue to persist, and cannot be narrowed to a small set of determinants. Instead, a multitude of factors seem to be interconnected, preserving the gaps in infant mortality rates among different race/ethnicity groups. Consequently, Healthy People 2020 objectives still seek to reduce LBW, VLBW, total preterm births, and overall infant mortality rates.

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