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Investigation of Factors Influencing Infant Mortality at Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Ghana
Gabriel Kallah-Dagadu1, Foster Donkor1, Magdalene Duah1
1Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Insights
Child mortality in Ghana is high, with most deaths occurring in newborns. Key factors identified include age, birth type, and birth weight, crucial for targeted interventions to reduce under-five mortality.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Biostatistics
Background:
- Sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, faces high rates of under-five mortality, despite global progress.
- Millions of children under five die annually, with a significant proportion in the neonatal period.
- The Greater Accra Regional Hospital serves as a key site for investigating child mortality factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the primary determinants of under-five mortality at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital.
- To analyze the statistical associations between various factors and child mortality diagnoses.
- To inform targeted interventions for reducing child deaths in the region.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from Greater Accra Regional Hospital for under-five deaths in 2020.
- Employed chi-square test of association to explore relationships between variables.
- Applied multinomial logistic regression to model factors influencing mortality.
Main Results:
- 238 under-five deaths were recorded, with males comprising 55%.
- 85% of deaths occurred within the first month, primarily due to respiratory distress, prematurity, and sepsis.
- Child's age, birth type, and birth weight were significant predictors of mortality; sex, marital status, and mother's age were not.
Conclusions:
- Child's age, birth type, and birth weight are critical factors in under-five mortality at the hospital.
- Identified predictors are essential for developing targeted public health interventions.
- Recommendations include enhanced education, improved care, better birthing practices, and data-driven policies.
Background:
Annually, 5.4 million children under five face mortality, with 2.5 million deaths in the first month, 1.6 million between one and eleven months, and 1.3 million aged one to four. Despite global strides, sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, grapples with persistent high child mortality. This study employs statistical methods to pinpoint factors driving under-five mortality in the Greater Accra Regional Hospital.
Methods:
The data was acquired from Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Ghana, spanning January to December 2020. The data comprised all under-five deaths recorded in the hospital in 2020. The statistical tools employed were the chi-square test of association and the multinomial logistic regression model.
Results:
In 2020, there were 238 cases of under-five mortality recorded in the hospital, with males constituting the majority (55%). About 85% of these cases occurred within the first month of birth, primarily attributed to respiratory distress, prematurity, and sepsis. Notably, meconium aspiration was the least common among grouped diagnoses. The test of association and multinomial logistic model emphasised the child's age, birth type, and weight at birth as significant factors influencing child mortality. Conversely, attributes like sex, marital status, and mother's age displayed no notable association with the diagnosis of death.
Conclusion:
The study on child mortality at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital unveils key factors shaping child health outcomes, emphasising the role of age, birth type, and weight. While specific demographics show no significant association, identified predictors are vital for targeted interventions. Proposed strategies encompass education programs, improved care, birthing practices, and data-driven policies.
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