Abstract
Background: Despite Vietnam’s acclaiming achievements of reducing overall infant mortality rate (IMR), the IMR decline does not occur equally in all regions in Vietnam. This study aims to investigate dominant factors that affect the inequality of infant mortality across regions in Vietnam during the period 2005-2015. Methods: We use nationally representative data to construct a panel data of 6 economic regions in Vietnam from 2005 to 2015. We employ the structural equation modelling (SEM) approach to quantify the causal effect of socio-economic status (SES), accessing to skilled birth attendance (SBA) and other relevant factors on the disparity of IMR across regions. Results: SES, which is measured by 3 indicators – illiteracy rate (IR), poverty rate (PR) and income per capita – is the dominant factor causing regional inequalities of infant mortality, followed by the use of SBA. Among these indicators, the PR is the most important one causing the regional disparity of IMR and accessing to SBA. The total effect of SES on infant mortality disparity is 2.6 times as high as that of accessing skilled healthcare personnel. Conclusion: Bridging the regional gap of using skilled health personnel would contribute to improving the infant mortality inequality in Vietnam. This inequality, however, is not significantly improved only with medical interventions but also with broader and more comprehensive socio-economic interventions at both national and regional levels. Our findings confirm that poverty reduction and growth strategies should be the main focus to boost medical interventions and improve IMR all over the country.
Highlights
Vietnam achieved a significant reduction of infant mortality rate (IMR) over the period 1990-2015, from 44.1 per 1000 live births in 1990 to 14.7 in 2015
The most interesting aspect of this trend is that the gap in the proportion of skilled birth attendance (SBA) has been gradually bridged among economic regions
Discussion a steady upward trend in socio-economic status (SES) and in the access of SBA, together with a downward trend in IMR has been observed in all economic regions in Vietnam, the regional gap of infant mortality remains unchanged
Summary
Vietnam achieved a significant reduction of infant mortality rate (IMR) over the period 1990-2015, from 44.1 per 1000 live births in 1990 to 14.7 in 2015. The highest mortality rates are seen in mountainous and underprivileged regions at 24.8 per 1000 live births, which is nearly 3 times as high as the rate in the most affluent area at 8.6 per 1000 live births, and nearly 2 times the overall country’s IMR in 2015.1 The disparity between wealthy and disadvantaged areas tends. Vietnam is divided into 6 economic regions, ie, Red River. Northern Midlands and Mountainous areas, North Central and Central Coastal areas, Central Highlands, Southeast area, and Mekong River Delta. These 6 regions differ significantly in terms of demographics, speed and level of their socio-economic developments. The Southeast area with a high annual income per capita, a high literacy rate and a low poverty rate (PR), has the best socio-economic status (SES), followed by the Red River Delta. The Northern Midlands and Mountainous area has the lowest SES compared to other regions
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
