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Factors Influencing Infant and Child Mortality: A Case Study of Rajshahi District, Bangladesh

Abstract The main purpose of this study is to observe the influencing factors on infant and child mortality of suburban and rural areas of Rajshahi District, Bangladesh. Primary data have been used to examine the differential patterns of infant and child mortality. A multivariate technique is employed to investigate the effects of those variables both socioeconomic and demographic on infant and child mortality. The study results reveal that several socioeconomic, demographic and health related variables affect on infant and child mortality. Multivariate analysis results indicate that the most significant predictors of neonatal, post-neonatal, and child mortality levels are immunization, ever breastfeeding, mother’s age at birth and birth interval. Again, the risk of child mortality is 78.20% lower among the immunized child than never immunized child and also the risk of neonatal mortality is 57.70% lower after a birth interval of 36 months and above than under 18 months. Parents’ education, toilet facilities and treatment places are significant predictors during neonatal and childhood period but father’s occupation is significant at post-neonatal periods. For instance, risk of neonatal mortality is 31.40% lower among the women having primary education and 52.30% lower among the women having secondary and higher education than those having no education. It is observed that the risk of child mortality 32.00% lower among the household having hygienic toilet facility than those who have not such facilities. Similarly, risk of child mortality decreased with increased female education and wider access to safe treatment places. So, attention should be given to female education and expansion of public health system for reducing the risk of infant and child mortality.