Socioeconomic determinants of infants mortality rate in Zaria LGA of Kaduna Nigeria

Socioeconomic determinants of infants mortality rate in Zaria LGA of Kaduna

ABSTRACT

Infant mortality remains high in Zaria Local Government and beyond despite the various policies that have been implemented by the authorities to reduce it. Although studies have examined various factors that explain infant mortality, effects of infant mortality and causes of infant mortality has been rarely explored. The study finds out socio-demographic strength of the respondents, causes of infant mortality and socio-economic determinant of infant mortality in Zaria. This study utilized square-like methodological approach. Also, the study used both primary and secondary data source from; observation, interview and medical practitioners in Zaria community. Mann Kendall’s tau-b and Spearman’s rho regression analysis was performed on a local representative sample of 380 mothers. Results were presented in tables and charts with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Findings showed that the risks of infant mortality were substantially relationship between infant’s mortality and indicators factors like; income level, employment, and educational attainments of females. For instance, risk of death were significantly higher for infants born to uneducated mothers 0.105 using Mann Kendall’s tau-b compared to educated mothers 0.050 using Spearman’s rho regression . Besides, education, 42.1% earned less than #5000 monthly and 64.7% based on menial or no job at all. The finding recommends the need to improve the socio-economic welfare of the people, environmental amenities (water, sanitation), female should attend school up to secondary level; community should invest in capital projects and government should make provision of maternal hospitals, medicines at affordable price, immunization for free that negatively determine the infant health and survival, improving access to skilled health-professionals before, during and after child delivery and stop ‘polythinking’ on health issues in Zaria and country in general.

Keyword : infant,  mortality,  socioeconomic,  determinants and polythinking