The Main Determinants of Under 5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) in OECD Countries: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Child mortality indices are key element that reflects health Status of societies and inform policy makers to take suitable policies to reduce them. This study was performed to examine the main determinants of under-5 mortality rate (U5MR) in OECD countries in two cross-sections, 2010 and 2013, and the results of them was compared. Material and Methods: This was a cross- sectional study. The data on U5MR,health expenditure, Gross National Income per capita (GNI), Physician and nurses’ density, Ratio of female to male primary, secondary and tertiary school enrollment was gathered from world health organization (WHO) and World bank datasets. Pearson correlation and regression models was used for analyzing the data for years 2010 and 2013. Stata 11 was used for analyzing the data. Results: Pearson correlation was negative for all variable in 2010 and all variables, expect Ratio of female to male secondary enrollment, had negative correlation with U5MR. Regression analysis showed that, all variable, except Ratio of female to male primary enrollment had negative effect on U5MR in 2010. Also, GNI had negative effect on U5MR in 2010 and its coefficient was significant. The β-coefficient of healthcare expenditures was -0.964 and -0.746 in 2010 and 2013, respectively and was statistically significant just in 2010. Two of three variables in which included for women literacy had negative effect on U5MR in 2010 and all of them had negative effect in 2013. Conclusion: The study results showed that all variables, including health expenditures, gross national income per capita, and density of physicians and nurses and female literacy, had invers effect on under-five mortality rate in OECD countries.