Under-Five Mortality in Buea Health District, Southwest Cameroon: Evidence from a Community-Based Birth Cohort Study
Ettamba Agborndip1, Benjamin Momo Kadia1,2, Domin Sone Majunda Ekaney1
1Health Education and Research Organisation (HERO), Buea, Cameroon.
Insights
Nearly half of under-five deaths in Buea occurred neonatally. Improving intrapartum care and treating neonatal conditions, malaria, and pneumonia are key to reducing child mortality.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Understanding under-five mortality (U5M) patterns is vital for targeted child survival interventions.
- The study addresses the need for updated knowledge on U5M in Buea Health District, Cameroon.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the under-five mortality rate (U5MR) in Buea Health District.
- To identify the primary causes and age-specific patterns of U5M.
- To inform public health strategies for child survival.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective cohort study analyzed 2000 randomly selected households.
- Data included live births and deaths between September 2004 and September 2009.
- Causes of death were determined using InterVA-4 software.
Main Results:
- The under-five mortality rate (U5MR) was 42 deaths per 1000 live births (92 deaths out of 2210 live births).
- Neonatal causes (37%), malaria (28%), and pneumonia (15%) were the leading causes of death.
- Infant deaths constituted 64.1% of U5M, with birth asphyxia, pneumonia, and prematurity complications being major contributors.
Conclusions:
- A significant proportion of under-five mortality occurs during the neonatal period (43.5%).
- Enhancing intrapartum care and managing neonatal conditions, malaria, and pneumonia are critical for reducing U5M.
- Targeted interventions can significantly improve child survival rates in the region.
Background:
Updating the knowledge base on the causes and patterns of under-five mortality (U5M) is crucial for the design of suitable interventions to improve survival of children under five.
Objectives:
To assess the rate, causes, and age-specific patterns of U5M in Buea Health District, Cameroon.
Methods:
A retrospective cohort study involving 2000 randomly selected households was conducted. Live births registered between September 2004 and September 2009 were recorded. The under-five mortality rate (U5MR) was defined by the number of deaths that occurred on or before 5 years of age per 1000 live births. Causes of death were assigned using the InterVA-4 software.
Results:
A total of 2210 live births were recorded. There were 92 deaths, and the U5MR was 42 per 1000 live births. The mean age at death was 11 ± 15.9 months. The most frequent causes of death were neonatal causes (37%), malaria (28%), and pneumonia (15%). Deaths during infancy accounted for 64.1% of U5M, with 43.5% neonatal (86% occurring within the first 24 hours of life) and 20.7% postneonatal. The main causes of death in infancy were birth asphyxia (37.5%), pneumonia (17.5%), complications of prematurity (10%), and malaria (10%). Child deaths accounted for 35.8% of U5M. Malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoeal illnesses accounted for the majority of child deaths.
Conclusions:
Almost half of U5M occurred during the neonatal period. Improvements in intrapartum care and the prevention and effective treatment of neonatal conditions, malaria, and pneumonia could considerably reduce U5M in Buea.
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