[Differences in infant mortality within Bolivia]

There was an overall decrease in infant mortality in Bolivia between the national censuses of 1976 and of 1992. That general pattern, however, in fact conceals differences in trends from one department to another, as well as between urban and rural areas. In order to elucidate this situation, in 1996 the reducible differences in mortality were analyzed. This was done by comparing the infant mortality rate in each department of the country with the lowest rate found in the other departments and calculating the possible reduction if all the departments had had the same level of achievement. Using a similar approach, urban areas were compared with rural ones. The results show that in four departments of Bolivia (Beni, Oruro, Pando, and Potosí) the differences in mortality rates increased in comparison to the other departments. That is, in those four departments infant mortality has not fallen as much as could be expected given the general trends in the country. Similarly, the decline in infant mortality rates in the rural areas has lagged behind the decreases seen in urban areas. Quantifying these differences makes it possible to propose goals for the national policy of sustainable human development.