Infant mortality rate (USA)

[skyblue1]

U.S. Infant Mortality Rate Worse Than in 40 Other Countries


Babies born in the United States have a higher chance of dying in their first month than babies in much of the developed world, according to a new report on infant mortality rates.

Researchers at the World Health Organization looked at mortality rates for newborn babies over the last 20 years. Overall the rates of newborn deaths diminished, from 4.6 million in 1990 to 3.3 million in 2009, or from 33.2 deaths per 1,000 live births to 23.9 deaths per 1,000 births.

America made strides in the last two decades, but because it curtailed infant mortality rates by 26 percent, or less than the average drop, the United States now lags behind 40 other countries including Lithuania, Israel and Cuba. American newborns die at about the same rate as in Qatar, Croatia and the United Arab Emirates.

In some cases, deaths could be prevented by simple sanitary measures or by providing antibiotics. That is particularly true in countries towards the bottom of the list -- Afghan babies die at the rate of one per 19 in the first month of life, the worst recorded rate, and India, Nigeria, Pakistan, China and Democratic Republic of Congo produce more than half of the world's newborn deaths.

"We know that solutions as simple as keeping newborns warm, clean and properly breast fed can keep them alive," study researcher Joy Lawn of the Save the Children Foundation, which worked with the WHO on the report, told msnbc. "It isn't that you have to build invasive care units to halve your neonatal mortality."

Lawn added that in the United States, the biggest hazard comes from premature babies who require greater care, something that is often expensive, and face heightened risk for asphyxia during birth, or from severe infections such as blood poisoning and pneumonia. In many cases, a lack of properly trained medical professionals is the culprit.

"The global health worker crisis is the biggest factor in the deaths of mothers and children, and particularly the 3.3 million newborns dying needlessly each year. Training more midwives and more community health workers will allow many more lives to be saved,"

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/206614/2...-rates.htm

['Butterflies']

I bet that infant mortality is pretty low amongst the well off in America, but is very high amonst the poor.

[skyblue1]

that is true

[Callaway]

I bet that infant mortality is pretty low amongst the well off in America, but is very high amonst the poor.

I think that you are right about the correlation with income and infant mortality.  Infant mortality is quite a bit higher for African American mothers than it is for European American mothers.  Infant mortality is higher for mothers who use illegal drugs, who have less prenatal care and are more likely to give birth to underweight and premature babies.  Maybe there could also be a correlation there with poorer mothers being more likely to use illegal drugs.

[Osensitive1]

This article may be trying to paint the picture as more gloomy for the US than it really is. It also doesn't break it down into reason of death. Of course there's always room for improvement. 
Here's a list of stats.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2091rank.html 
and here's a chart with 60 yr stats
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_infant_mortality_rate
and here's 50 yr a graph for the US just because I like graphs. To the left, one can click boxes to see the graph for other countries. It's nice because it adds them to be viewed as a composite.
http://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_&met_y=sp_dyn_imrt_in&idim=country:USA&dl=en&hl=en&q=statistics+infant+mortality+rate+united+states#ctype=l&strail=false&nselm=h&met_y=sp_dyn_imrt_in&scale_y=lin&ind_y=false&rdim=country&idim=country:USA&ifdim=country&hl=en&dl=en

['Butterflies']

I bet that infant mortality is pretty low amongst the well off in America, but is very high amonst the poor.

I think that you are right about the correlation with income and infant mortality.  Infant mortality is quite a bit higher for African American mothers than it is for European American mothers.  Infant mortality is higher for mothers who use illegal drugs, who have less prenatal care and are more likely to give birth to underweight and premature babies.  Maybe there could also be a correlation there with poorer mothers being more likely to use illegal drugs.

I think it's one of the bad things about such an uneven society. The children did not choose to be born into poverty, and have done nothing to deserve the life they are born into. Britain seems keen on following America, so if our Infant mortality rates aren't rising, I'm sure they soon will.

The way our society functions saddens me.

This article may be trying to paint the picture as more gloomy for the US than it really is. It also doesn't break it down into reason of death. Of course there's always room for improvement. 
Here's a list of stats.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2091rank.html 
and here's a chart with 60 yr stats
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_infant_mortality_rate
and here's 50 yr a graph for the US just because I like graphs. To the left, one can click boxes to see the graph for other countries. It's nice because it adds them to be viewed as a composite.
http://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_&met_y=sp_dyn_imrt_in&idim=country:USA&dl=en&hl=en&q=statistics+infant+mortality+rate+united+states#ctype=l&strail=false&nselm=h&met_y=sp_dyn_imrt_in&scale_y=lin&ind_y=false&rdim=country&idim=country:USA&ifdim=country&hl=en&dl=en

I looked at the figures, and they don't look very good for America. They are still higher than almost all first world countries. Not only that, but America shows one of the lowest improvements in infant mortality over the last 60 years, according to wiki.

For instance, in 1950/5 America was the 10th lowest(best) country, it is now the 34th. It has gone from 30.46 infant deaths per 1000 in 1950/55 to 7.07 over the last 3 years. Compare that to countries that most would see as far poorer than America such as Croatia 108.4 to 6.66, Portugal 92.82 to 5.23, Greece 60 to 5.45, Spain 63.9 to 4.33.

[Phallacy]

It's because we're still in an economic recession! *while happily counting the billions of dollars earned from basically gaming the economy for his own profit*

[Osensitive1]

For instance, in 1950/5 America was the 10th lowest(best) country, it is now the 34th. It has gone from 30.46 infant deaths per 1000 in 1950/55 to 7.07 over the last 3 years. Compare that to countries that most would see as far poorer than America such as Croatia 108.4 to 6.66, Portugal 92.82 to 5.23, Greece 60 to 5.45, Spain 63.9 to 4.33.

In the 50's it was horrible everywhere, so 10th wasn't much of a bragging right. Not saying it's great, but current rates of .46% and .49% in the UK and Canda doesn't seem like a huge difference as the .6% infant mortality rate in the US. The graphs work better than the number for me.

Here's one with the US, UK, and Canada.
http://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_&met_y=sp_dyn_imrt_in&idim=country:USA&dl=en&hl=en&q=statistics+infant+mortality+rate+united+states#ctype=l&strail=false&nselm=h&met_y=sp_dyn_imrt_in&scale_y=lin&ind_y=false&rdim=country&idim=country:USA:GBR:CAN&ifdim=country&hl=en&dl=en

['Butterflies']

It's because we're still in an economic recession! *while happily counting the billions of dollars earned from basically gaming the economy for his own profit*

If you're talking about the latest economic recession, then thes figures cover the last 60 years. Also, most of the other countries in the world are in, or close to recession.

I really feel that this is more about the gap between rich and poor, and how America treats its poor. All rich countries should have the resources to minimize infant mortality. I don't think it's coincidence that most of the countries who are highest(best) on the list, are countries that have a reputation for maintaining relatively even societies.

[Osensitive1]

I really feel that this is more about the gap between rich and poor, and how America treats its poor.

Not sure. See articles all the time like this that want to compare the US to Cuba. Maybe Cuba is just an anomaly when it comes to healthcare and education. Here's a graph with the US, UK, and Cuba.
http://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_&met_y=sp_dyn_imrt_in&idim=country:USA&dl=en&hl=en&q=statistics+infant+mortality+rate+united+states#ctype=l&strail=false&nselm=h&met_y=sp_dyn_imrt_in&scale_y=lin&ind_y=false&rdim=country&idim=country:CUB:GBR:USA&ifdim=country&hl=en&dl=en

['Butterflies']

For instance, in 1950/5 America was the 10th lowest(best) country, it is now the 34th. It has gone from 30.46 infant deaths per 1000 in 1950/55 to 7.07 over the last 3 years. Compare that to countries that most would see as far poorer than America such as Croatia 108.4 to 6.66, Portugal 92.82 to 5.23, Greece 60 to 5.45, Spain 63.9 to 4.33.

In the 50's it was horrible everywhere, so 10th wasn't much of a bragging right. Not saying it's great, but current rates of .46% and .49% in the UK and Canda doesn't seem like a huge difference as the .6% infant mortality rate in the US. The graphs work better than the number for me.

Here's one with the US, UK, and Canada.
http://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_&met_y=sp_dyn_imrt_in&idim=country:USA&dl=en&hl=en&q=statistics+infant+mortality+rate+united+states#ctype=l&strail=false&nselm=h&met_y=sp_dyn_imrt_in&scale_y=lin&ind_y=false&rdim=country&idim=country:USA:GBR:CAN&ifdim=country&hl=en&dl=en

.68% is a lot higher than .46%. It's almost 50% higher. That's a massive amount when we're talking about the amount of babies surviving.

I'm not trying to praise Britain at the expense of America by any means though. I'm far from happy at how my country is bein run.

['Butterflies']

I really feel that this is more about the gap between rich and poor, and how America treats its poor.

Not sure. See articles all the time like this that want to compare the US to Cuba. Maybe Cuba is just an anomaly when it comes to healthcare and education. Here's a graph with the US, UK, and Cuba.
http://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_&met_y=sp_dyn_imrt_in&idim=country:USA&dl=en&hl=en&q=statistics+infant+mortality+rate+united+states#ctype=l&strail=false&nselm=h&met_y=sp_dyn_imrt_in&scale_y=lin&ind_y=false&rdim=country&idim=country:CUB:GBR:USA&ifdim=country&hl=en&dl=en

Cuba is a bit of an anomaly. It places huge national pride on its health service. It exports doctors around the world. When there's a disaster and countries are sending aid, Cuba sends medical teams.

Also, remember, Cuba is a Communist country. There is supposedly little difference between the rich and the poor, although it is slowly embracing Capitalism, and there is a growing rich class in Cuba.

In theory, everyone in Cuba gets the same quality of healthcare.

[Osensitive1]

.68% is a lot higher than .46%. It's almost 50% higher. That's a massive amount when we're talking about the amount of babies surviving.

I'm not trying to praise Britain at the expense of America by any means though. I'm far from happy at how my country is bein run.

.68 is the 1999 figure from the wiki link, which references the CIA stats. The most current stat of .6, as well as the others I posted are the most current on the CIA link I posted. Though yes, even a .1% difference is a large one when considering lives.

On you point of the poor, not sure that's it. Free health care for children in poverty level families is easily accessible in the US, and free or almost free health care for children easily accessible for the lower middle class. It's the middle-middle class that has a tough time here.

[Osensitive1]

Yeah. Just need to stop looking at that graph generator now.

['Butterflies']

.68% is a lot higher than .46%. It's almost 50% higher. That's a massive amount when we're talking about the amount of babies surviving.

I'm not trying to praise Britain at the expense of America by any means though. I'm far from happy at how my country is bein run.

.68 is the 1999 figure from the wiki link, which references the CIA stats. The most current stat of .6, as well as the others I posted are the most current on the CIA link I posted. Though yes, even a .1% difference is a large one when considering lives.

On you point of the poor, not sure that's it. Free health care for children in poverty level families is easily accessible in the US, and free or almost free health care for children easily accessible for the lower middle class. It's the middle-middle class that has a tough time here.

Poverty can also account for many other things that can affect the childs chances, as Callaway says, such as drug use, poor lifestyle choices, lack of parental ability, malnourishment.
I also have no way of knowing what standard the free healthcare for poor children is. For instance, would they get the same treatment that a child from a rich family would get?

I can only see two possible reasons for Americas poor infant mortality rate. Either it has bad hospitals, and poor doctors. I think this is highly unlikely.
Or, a large section of the population is getting a raw deal somewhere along the line.

I have heard the argument that it's the middle-middle classes that are being squeezed hardest, I have no doubt there's a lot of truth in that, but I have a hard time believing they are that tightly squeezed that they can't afford for their ill babies to be properly cared for.


I would be interested in seeing the infant mortality rates amongst white middle class babies, but I'm guessing those figures don't exist.