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Infant mortality in Brazil, 1980-2000: a spatial panel data analysis.
Ana Maria Barufi1, Eduardo Haddad, Antonio Paez
1Department of Economics, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
BMC Public Health
|March 14, 2012
Summary
Improving health infrastructure and social policies, like education, significantly reduces infant mortality rates in Brazil. Spatial analysis reveals important regional benefits and spillovers from these interventions.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Demography
- Spatial Epidemiology
Background:
- Infant mortality is a key indicator of societal welfare and development.
- Understanding factors influencing infant mortality is crucial for public policy.
- Regional disparities in infant mortality exist within Brazil.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the regional patterns of infant mortality in Brazil.
- To evaluate the impact of infrastructure, socio-economic, and demographic variables on infant mortality.
- To understand the spatial distribution of infant mortality across Brazil.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a spatial panel data model with fixed effects and spatial error autocorrelation.
- Employed Minimum Comparable Areas for consistent spatial unit definition across census years.
- Incorporated data from Brazilian Censuses (1980, 1991, 2000) and Ministry of Health (DATASUS), including healthcare infrastructure variables.
Main Results:
- The spatial panel model demonstrated the best fit for the data.
- Health care infrastructure and social policies (e.g., education) are associated with lower infant mortality rates.
- Spatial effects and spillover effects from health infrastructure and water/sanitation facilities were significant, indicating regional benefits.
Conclusions:
- Spatial modeling is essential for reliable analysis of panel infant mortality data.
- Physical (infrastructure) and social (policy) factors significantly influence infant mortality in developing countries.
- This study enhances understanding of infant mortality determinants in Brazil.
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