Infant mortality and life expectancy in China.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Demography
• Health Economics

Background:

• China has experienced significant reductions in infant mortality (IM) and increases in life expectancy (LE).
• Understanding the current health status and the interplay between IM and LE is crucial for public health policy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the health status of the Chinese population by examining infant mortality (IM) and life expectancy (LE).
• To determine the inter-relationship between IM, LE, and per capita gross national income (GNI).

Main Methods:

• A literature review was conducted on the history and current status of IM and LE in China and other major countries.
• The relationship between IM, LE, and per capita GNI was analyzed for the year 2013.

Main Results:

• China's IM decline (30% to 15% in 7 years) surpassed that of developed nations.
• Leading infant death causes include perinatal diseases, infections, congenital anomalies, and accidents.
• Life expectancy (LE) showed strong negative correlations with IM (r=-0.921) and per capita GNI (r=0.778).
• Infant mortality (IM) was negatively correlated with per capita GNI (r=-0.735).
• China's healthcare capabilities and per capita GNI remain below developing country levels, despite comparable IM and healthcare metrics in some nations with higher GNIs.

Conclusions:

• While IM has decreased and LE increased rapidly in China, these trends are not parallel with economic development.
• Discrepancies may stem from various factors, necessitating further in-house surveys and hospital-based follow-ups to understand infant mortality causes.