DETERMINANTS OF INFANT MORTALITY RATE AMONG INFANTS ATTENDING ISHAKA ADVENTIST HOSPITAL IN THE MONTHS OF APRIL- JULY 2017 IN ISHAKA MUNICIPALITY, BUSHENYI DISTRICT

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Infant mortality is defined as the death of an infant before his or her first birthday, mainly caused by dehydration, diseases, congenital malformations and infections.

AIM: The main objective was to establish the determinants of infant mortality in IAH in the months of April- July 2017, in Ishaka municipality in Bushenyi district.

METHODS: A descriptive cross sectional study design was used to determine the determinants of infant mortality in the study area.

RESULTS: Majority of respondent (98%) were female and among them, 25.5% reported to have lost at least an infant and most of these respondents (70%) were married while 5% was widowed and among these, 40% reported to have lost an infant. Religiously, majority of the respondents (80%) were Christians, while 13% were Muslim and 7% constituted other religions including paganism, which showed the greatest infant mortality rate (71.4%). Most of the respondents (65%) attained primary level of education while 5% did not go to school at all, and the highest Infant Mortality rate (40%) was reported among these. The respondents who reported to have had preterm births appeared to have a higher infant mortality rate (65%) than those who did not report preterm births. A higher Infant Mortality rate (32.2%) was realized among respondents who reported their infants to have had such co morbidities than those who didn’t report any co morbidities like malaria and also a higher Infant mortality rate (50%) was realized among infants who had not exclusively breastfed. Majority of respondents (80%) did not have children with birth defects while only 20% had children with birth defect, and a higher infant mortality rate of 70% was realized among these.

CONCLUSION: Demographically, infant mortality rate is high among teenagers, the unemployed, the widowed, the pagans, and the uneducated. Direct determinants of infant mortality rate included preterm birth, birth defects, co morbidities and failure to breastfeed exclusively. Proximate determinants associated with infant mortality rate included teenage pregnancies, source of water, means of delivery and irregular immunization.

RECOMMENDATION: Exclusive breast feeding for 6 month, mass immunization campaign up to grass root, intensive health education on health seeking behaviors and highlighting on dangers associated with risky behaviors and high quality monitoring and evaluation for quick action particularly for emergencies. There is also need for intersectional collaboration and initiation of income generating activities to boost their standards of living.