Native American infant mortality in Wisconsin

An infant mortality rate is an important public health measure because it may indicate unmet health needs or unfavorable environmental factors. The infant mortality rate for Native Americans in Wisconsin has decreased over the past several years, although there remains a discrepancy between Native Americans, all races combined and the Healthy People 2000 goal. The Wisconsin American Indian Infant Mortality Review Project (WAIIMR) conducted a study to understand local underlying factors that contributed to infant deaths and to recommend local health initiatives that could be developed to have a positive impact on the health of infants and mothers. The results from the WAIIMR Project and more recent Wisconsin birth record data are discussed in this paper. Two risk factors, levels of prenatal care and maternal smoking during pregnancy, show discrepancies between races and warrant further investigation. Native American communities in Wisconsin are addressing risk factors affecting maternal and child health through projects such as Honoring Our Children and The Michigan/Wisconsin Epidemiology Center.