Causal analysis of infant deaths in Hawaii

Infant mortality among the 34,330 births registered in Hawaii during 1978-1979 was analyzed by means of several methods. Path analysis showed the Apgar score to be the best predictor of mortality, although the effects of birth weight, gestation time and preconceptional and postconceptional factors were all highly significant. Commingling analysis attributed 41% of the deaths to high risk factors recognized from the birth certificate. The infant mortality was lowest in tracts with the highest socioeconomic and health standards, but individual variation in socioeconomic standards was a poor predictor of mortality.