Causes of infant mortality in a multiethnic population

Causes of infant mortality and their change over time in five ethnic groups were investigated using linked infant death and live birth certificates from the State of Hawaii, 1968-1983. Over the study period, there were 3,324 deaths of which 31 percent were to Whites, 26 percent to Hawaiians, 17 percent to Asians, 15 percent to Filipinos and 10 percent to other ethnic groups. Significant changes in the proportion of deaths by cause occurred over the period. Perinatal causes remained the most frequent, but their relative contribution to annual infant deaths declined from 61 percent to 47 percent. The proportion of deaths from congenital anomalies increased from 19 percent to 30 percent, while the proportion of deaths from infectious diseases declined from 14 percent to 4 percent. There was a significant difference in the proportion of deaths by cause between ethnic groups in the early years of the study period. However, during the last four years 1980-1983, no significant difference between ethnic groups was observed.