Infant mortality in a rural community development block in Haryana.

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine infant mortality in a population of 95000 in rural Haryana during 1980. The infant mortality rate was 77.4/1000 livebirths with 50% of the deaths occurring during the neonatal period. The main causes of death were prematurity (22.9%) acute lower respiratory tract diseases (17.7%) febrile illness (14.6%) and congenital malformations (11.4%). Mortality due to acute diarrheal disease (5.2%) and neonatal tetanus (8.3% of neonatal mortality) was much lower than reported from other rural areas in India. The lowered mortality in these 2 conditions was most likely due to use of specific intervention programs. Deaths occurred at home in 88% of the cases. Health care for the terminal ill was sought mainly from the health facility in the vicinity of the home (subcenter or primary health center). Registered medical practitioners (RMP) in 90 cases and village-based health workers in 84 cases were contacted most often for relief of symptoms. From these observations it is apparent that intervention measures for major preventable causes of infant mortality may go a long way in reducing mortality rates to acceptable levels. To achieve this end it is imperative to train RMPs and village health volunteers whose help is most frequently sought. (authors modified)