Infant mortality rate in three parishes of western Jamaica, 1980

ABSTRACT

The infant mortality rate is a sensitive index of health. However, in recent years, perhaps due to under-registration of deaths, the infant mortality rates for Jamaica, and particularly for certain parishes, have been so low as to make their accuracy questionable. This study sought to establish the infant mortality rates for the parishes of St. James, Hanover and Trelawny during 1980. Information on infant deaths in 1980 was sought from a variety of sources, as was information on live births in the same year. The infant mortality rate (1980) for the combined parsihes of St.James, Hanover and Trelawny was estimated to be 27 per 1000 live births. It was estimated that only 31 percent of infant deaths in 1980 were registered. Health personnel were much more aware of infant deaths than were the Registrars of Births and Deaths and, hence, the Registrar-General. Possible reasons for under-registration of infant deaths are suggested, but the topic requires further research. Attempts should be made to improve the registration of infant deaths (AU)