Statistical analysis of factors associated with child mortality in Uganda
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to find out the factors associated with child mortality in Uganda. The specific objectives of the study included; to determine the social factors that influence child mortality in Uganda, to investigate the economic factors that lead
to child mortality in Uganda, and to assess whether child mortality is associated to demographic factors.
Demographic and Health Survey data for 2016 were used to investigate these factors.
This data set had a hierarchical structure. To account for this nested data, a Structural equation model was fitted to find the significant factors affecting child mortality.
The study found out that the social factors that influenced child mortality were maternal age and child sex since they showed a significant relationship with child mortality. The study also revealed that parent’s education level and occupation/wealth status influenced death among children before the age of 5years and these were the significant economic factors in this study. The study found birth weight as a major demographic factor that influences child mortality. However, place of residence, health services, birth order were found to be insignificant in this study thus did not influence child mortality.
It was recommended that the Government should introduce educational programmes aimed at creating public awareness especially those that are related with child survival targeting parents, religious leaders, and other opinion leaders like local council members. Also, there is need to develop and establish a community-based cadre of staff linked to the Village Health Teams to offer pregnancy and birth surveillance and early postnatal care during the first week of life.