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Infant mortality in Alaska: evidence of high postneonatal mortality rate
H Harrison1, A Todd-Tigert, J Jacob
1Alaska Neonatology Associates, Anchorage 99508.
Insights
Alaska
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Demography
Background:
- Infant mortality rates have improved in the U.S. and Alaska over the past decade.
- Alaska's improved infant mortality is due to a declining neonatal mortality rate (death within 28 days of birth), which is now among the lowest in the U.S.
- However, Alaska's postneonatal mortality rate (death between 28 days and 1 year of age) has not declined and remains one of the highest in the U.S.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine socio-demographic and inter-regional factors contributing to Alaska's high postneonatal mortality rate.
- To compare Alaska's postneonatal mortality rates with U.S. national averages.
- To identify specific populations and regions within Alaska experiencing elevated postneonatal mortality.
Main Methods:
- Utilized vital statistics records from 1975 to 1985.
- Analyzed data for all live-born infants in Alaska who died during infancy.
- Compared Alaska's postneonatal mortality rates with U.S. national data, stratified by race/ethnicity and urban/rural residence.
Main Results:
- Alaska's postneonatal mortality rate was significantly higher than the U.S. average between 1975 and 1985.
- Alaska Non-Native infants exhibited higher postneonatal mortality rates compared to U.S. White infants.
- Alaska Native infants had higher postneonatal mortality rates than other U.S. minority groups.
- Rural areas in Alaska showed higher postneonatal mortality rates than urban areas, mirroring a national trend.
Conclusions:
- Despite declining neonatal mortality, Alaska faces a persistent challenge with high postneonatal mortality.
- Socio-demographic factors, including race/ethnicity and geographic location (rural vs. urban), are associated with elevated postneonatal mortality in Alaska.
- Further research and targeted interventions are needed to address the high postneonatal mortality in specific Alaskan populations and regions.
Abstract:
Improvements in infant mortality (death less than 1 year of age) have been experienced by the United States and Alaska over the past decade. The decline in the Alaska neonatal mortality (death less than 28 days of age) rate has been the major factor in our improved infant mortality rate. Alaska's neonatal mortality rate is one of the lowest in the U.S. However, postneonatal mortality (28 days to 1 year of age) rate has not declined and is one of the highest in the U.S. In this study we used vital statistics records to examine socio-demographic and inter-regional factors that may help to explain Alaska's apparently high postneonatal mortality rate. The study population consisted of all live born infants in Alaska for 1975 to 1985, who died in infancy. The Alaska neonatal mortality rate has been lower, but postneonatal mortality rate has been higher than the U.S. average for the period under consideration (p less than .05). Comparison of alaska postneonatal mortality rate from 1975 to 1985 with the U.S. found Alaska Non-natives have higher postneonatal mortality rates than U.S. White, and Alaska Native have higher postneonatal mortality rates than other U.S. minorities. The rural areas of Alaska have a higher postneonatal mortality rate than urban areas, a phenomenon also observed for the U.S. as a whole.