Determinants of infant mortality in Uganda

Abstract

This study used data from the 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) with a main objective of investigating the determinants of infant mortality in Uganda. In order to achieve the stated objective, the following hypotheses were used. The higher the wealth quintile the lower the infant mortality, the sex of the child at birth has no influence on infant mortality, birth weight has a big influence on infant mortality in Uganda. Chi-square test and Binary logistic regression techniques were used to assess the rate and the factors that lead to infant mortality in Uganda. Binary logistic regression was used due to the dichotomous nature of the dependent variable. I.e. a child can be alive or dead. Infant mortality was found to be significantly associated with birth weight, birth order, mother‘s education and wealth quintile are significant at bivariate and multivariate levels of analysis. However, sex of child at birth was found to be insignificantly associated with infant mortality at both bivariate and multivariate level of analysis. The study recommends some remedies that could be used to address infant mortality in Uganda and these include; 1. Government policies should specifically be geared at improving maternal education such that mother‘s age can be delayed. Maternal education should comprise education programs that are aimed at creating public awareness about health care. 2. Policy makers and implementers should evolve strategies that will provide primary health care (PHC) services to all people in Uganda. 3. Efforts should be geared at intensifying immunization programs so as to eradicate major causes of infant and childhood deaths as well as encourage people to carry out better hygiene practices. 4. Poverty eradication programs should be strengthened in an effort to combat infant and childhood mortality and improve people‘s standards of living in Uganda. The study indicates a need for health education campaigns for parents and the community at large in Uganda.