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[Infant mortality trends compared with trends in handicapped children in Isere, 1976-1985]
Insights
Infant mortality trends in France (1976-1991) show a decrease in deaths with disability risk factors, potentially influencing disabled children prevalence rates. Further research is needed to confirm this link.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Advances in obstetrics and neonatology since 1960 have significantly altered infant survival rates and mortality causes.
- Infant mortality data from death certificates provide valuable insights into child health trends.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze infant mortality trends (0-1 year) in Isere, France, from 1976 to 1991.
- To investigate the influence of these mortality trends on the prevalence rates of disabled children.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 1702 infant deaths using death certificate data.
- Categorization of infant deaths into groups: perinatal disease/congenital defects, and risk factors for disability.
- Statistical analysis to identify trends in mortality components and disabled child prevalence.
Main Results:
- A significant decreasing trend was observed in infant deaths identified with risk factors for disability (43% of total infant deaths).
- This decrease closely mirrored the trend in early neonatal mortality until 1983.
- No significant variations were found in the prevalence of disabled children or other infant mortality components during the study period.
Conclusions:
- The reduction in infant deaths with disability risk factors suggests a potential impact on the prevalence of childhood disability.
- Further investigation is warranted to establish a definitive causal relationship between declining infant mortality risk factors and disability prevalence.
Abstract:
Since 1960 progress in obstetric and neonatology modified the survival chance of babies and the pattern of mortality causes. With the information available in the death certificates the aim was to analyse the trends in infant mortality for all 0-1 year children deaths occurring from 1976 to 1991, and to look at its influence on disabled children prevalence rates. The study was conducted in Isere (France) and include 1702 infant deaths. A part from death groups with perinatal disease and/or with congenital defects, a group of deaths with risk factor of disability was identified. This group represented 43% of all the infantile deaths and showed a significant decreasing trend, very similar to the decrease of the early neonatal mortality component (until 1983). However, during the same period, for the disabled children prevalence and for the other infant mortality components, no significant variation was found. The decrease of the deaths with risk factor of disability suggests some influence on the disabled children prevalence.