Does the infant mortality rate depend on the country's development?

Abstract

This study examines a relationship between infant mortality rate (IMR) and the level of a country's development. The impact of GDP per capita, Human Index Development, out of pocket spendings and health expenditures of 100 countries on IMR will be investigated through visual charts and interpretations, and regression analysis conducted on EViews. The results provide valuable insights into the complex relationship between IMR and development, making emphasis on the importance of addressing the issues of unequal income distribution in the population, increasing education and medical help accessible and the role of economic prosperity for the reduction of IMR worldwide.

The global infant mortality rate today is below 3%. The IMR is the death of an infant that occurs between the time it is born and 1 year of age. Deaths that occur before birth (stillbirth, pregnancy loss) will not be examined. Despite remarkable advancements in medical science and technology, infant mortality remains a serious problem casting a pall over the global healthcare landscape. While significant progress has been made in reducing infant mortality rates worldwide, the major causes keep remaining the same. The persistence of this issue is a stark reminder that the journey toward ensuring every child's right to a healthy start in life is far from over.

Although, IMR mostly occurs because of birth defects, diseases, early pregnancy and other cases. This study will examine the effects of secondary, non-direct causes such as GDP per capita, global health expenditure, Human Development Index (HDI), and out-of-pocket expenditures spent on healthcare services in a random sample of 100 countries from 2012-2017 and will try to find a relationship between the variables.

In 1950, the global mortality rate was 22.5%; in 2015, it was 4.5%. Of the 12.6 million children under the age of five who died in the world in 1990, 8.8 million were newborns under the age of one. More than 60% of child fatalities under the age of five are thought to be preventable with low-cost solutions.