Determinants of Infant Mortality in Rural Kenya

Abstract

Findings of 2008/09 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey reveal that one in every 19 live births dies before age one. The most striking observation is the reversal in infant mortality based on type of place of residence. The report indicates that, unlike what preceding surveys reported, infant mortality is high in urban than in rural Kenya. This study used Cox regression analysis to examine the determinants of infant mortality in rural Kenya. Analytical results show that region, maternal age, birth order/preceding birth interval, and source of drinking water are significantly related to post-neonatal mortality in rural Kenya. Further, occupation of the mother, region, birth order/preceding birth interval, and source of drinking water were found to be significantly related to infant mortality in rural Kenya. Unlike in the case of post-neonatal mortality where births in Nyanza were found to be 154 percent more likely to die relative to those in Central, the study found Nyanza residence not to be significantly related to infant mortality. The study findings indicate that health policy initiatives meant to kindle family planning methods that shall result in increased birth spacing and reduced higher order births are welcome in the quest to reduce infant mortality further. Seemingly, maternal education is losing grip on early childhood mortality. Future research should focus on bringing out an understanding of the role of maternal education on infant mortality.

Key words: post-neonate, infant, mortality, rural Kenya