Reversal in infant mortality in Kenya based on type of place of residence

Abstract

Context: In the recent past, infant mortality has declined more rapidly in rural Kenya than urban Kenya. This paper sought to ascertain the factors responsible for the observed reversal in infant mortality in Kenya based on type of place of residence, defined as either urban or rural. Data source and methods: The study used data obtained from 2014 Kenya demographic and health survey. Survival analysis was employed on child-recoded data set to estimate the risk of a neonate, post-neonate or an infant dying in urban or rural areas based on selected study variables. Results: The study found early childhood mortalities to be significantly related to educational qualification of the mother, household wealth index, maternal age, size at birth, and place of delivery in both urban and rural Kenya. In urban Kenya, the study further found early childhood mortalities to be significantly related sex of the birth and the preceding birth interval. Conclusion: The study suggests the need to check on lifestyle especially among the urbanites and to delay entry into childbearing as some of the measures to make infant mortality reduction mission a success.