Infant Mortality Trends and Determinants in Kazakhstan

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Socioeconomic Determinants of Health
• Global Health

Background:

• Infant mortality rate (IMR) is a key metric for assessing healthcare and socioeconomic development.
• Central Asia (CA) faces challenges in maternal and child health, necessitating analysis of IMR trends and drivers.
• Kazakhstan, as a middle-income nation, provides a specific case study for understanding IMR determinants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze infant mortality rate (IMR) trends in Central Asian countries from 2000 to 2020.
• To identify socioeconomic, health service, and population health factors associated with IMR in Kazakhstan.
• To provide evidence for policy interventions aimed at reducing infant mortality in the region.

Main Methods:

• Trend analysis of IMR in CA countries using linear regression (2000-2020).
• Exploration of IMR determinants in Kazakhstan via linear regression and gamma generalized linear models.
• Inclusion of socioeconomic indicators, health expenditure, GDP, poverty rates, and adolescent birth rates in the analysis.

Main Results:

• A consistent decrease in IMR was observed across all Central Asian countries during the study period.
• Kazakhstan exhibited the lowest IMR in both 2000 and 2020 among the analyzed CA nations.
• Significant associations were found between increased IMR and factors including unemployment, Gini index, poverty, and adolescent births.

Conclusions:

• Socioeconomic development and targeted healthcare investments are crucial for reducing infant mortality in Central Asia.
• Addressing poverty, income inequality, and improving access to education are vital for enhancing maternal and child health outcomes.
• Policy interventions focusing on these determinants can significantly improve public health in the region.