Infant mortality in tribal communities of a rural remote region in context of biomass fuel use

Abstract

Background: Infant mortality (IM) rates have fallen in many developing countries, but rates of fall have been low. Objective: Community based study was carried out to know about IM in context of biomass fuel use by remote rural communities. Material methods: After approval of institute’s ethics committee, study was conducted in 100 villages around the village with health facility, randomly divided into 50 study villages, sub divided into 40 where advocacy to prevent exposure from Biomass fuel was done, 10 in addition to advocacy, Chimneys were fixed on roofs of huts with no windows, biomass fuel used, 50 villages, (40 and 10 control villages), neither advocacy nor Chimneys. Results: In 40 study villages, 2700 pregnancies, 2431 (90.1%) live births were recorded, 5 (0.21%) infant deaths (ID) occurred, 2 (0.1%) of 1398 male live births, one preterm born had acute respiratory distress (ARD), other had pneumonia, 3 (0.3%) of 1033 female live births, one preterm born who had ARD, 2 septicaemia. Similarly 2700 pregnancies were recorded in 40 control villages and 2259 (83.7%) live births occurred with 11 (0.49%) ID, statistically significant difference (P value <0.0203), 4 (0.3%) of 1278 male live births, one born preterm, later had ARD, other pneumonia, 2 septicaemia, 7 (0.7%) of 981 female babies, statistically significant difference between male, female babies, 2 preterm born later had ARD, one had pneumonia, one diarrhoea dehydration, 2 septicaemia, in one cause was unknown. Conclusion: For wellbeing of every infant collective actions are needed, reducing biomass fuel effect also.