[Infant mortality and gender in Brazil: an investigation using updated statistics]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Demography
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Male infant mortality in Brazil exceeds female mortality.
• Recent trends show a reduction in excess male infant mortality.
• Factors influencing this reduction require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the impact of socioeconomic and healthcare factors on infant mortality in Brazil.
• To investigate if these factors disproportionately affect male infant mortality.
• To understand the drivers behind the declining excess male infant mortality.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from Brazilian states spanning 1996-2014.
• Developed a model to assess the association between key variables and infant mortality.
• Analyzed the influence of average income, low birth weight, prenatal visits, and fertility rate.

Main Results:

• Average income, low birth weight, prenatal visits, and fertility rate are significant factors in Brazilian infant mortality.
• These factors demonstrate a greater impact on reducing male infant mortality compared to female infant mortality.
• Findings suggest male infants' higher susceptibility necessitates targeted health interventions.

Conclusions:

• Socioeconomic status and healthcare access are crucial for reducing infant mortality in Brazil.
• Male infants' vulnerability underscores the need for enhanced parental and health authority attention.
• Further research on breastfeeding's role in mitigating gender-specific infant mortality is recommended.