Factors influencing infant mortality in Uganda: a case study of Mukono District

Abstract

The objective of the study was to examine the factors influencing infant mortality in Uganda for children under the age of five, examine the influence of level of education by parents on infant mortality, assess the effect of mother's age on infant mortality, investigate the effect of place of residence of parents on infant mortality~ find out the influence of WASH on infant mortality and to assess the impact of the sex of household head on infant mortality. Data from UDHS 2016 survey was used. The analysis was done using frequency distribution, bivariate analysis and multivariate analysis in Stata. In the results, the biggest percentage of the respondents had primary education (44.49%), aged between 26-35 (44.92%), majority were male headed household (66.10%), the biggest proportion resides in rural areas (74.15%) and get their drinking water from tube well/borehole (25.85%), and more than half belonged to the poor wealth index (65.25%). In the bivariate analysis of this study, it was found that, was source of drinking water had a significant effect on infant mortality (p<0.1). From the multivariate analysis of this study, it was found, there was no factor influencing infant mortality. (p<0.05). The findings indicate the need for government policymakers through the ministry of health, health administrators and public health researchers, to re-evaluate and revitalize existing intervention strategies to accelerate the reduction of mortality in children below 5 years of age in rural communities and other communities with similar characteristics.