Infant mortality in a Brazilian Northeast State between 2009 and 2018: a temporal space approach

Abstract

Abstract Objective: to present the epidemiological profile of infant mortality and neonatal and post neonatal components, in addition to the temporal dynamics of these events in Pernambuco State between 2009 and 2018. Methods: descriptive, ecological, temporal space study of infant mortality in Pernambuco between 2009 and 2018. Epidemiological and temporal space characteristics were described using the Sistema de Informação sobre Mortalidade (Mortality Information System) and the Sistema de Informação sobre Nascidos vivos.(Information System on Live Births) as data sources. Results: there were 19,436 infant deaths in the period; 13,546 (69.7%) in the neonatal period and 5,890 (30.3%) in the post neonatal period. Male (55.4%), non-white children (74.7%) with low birth weight (63.5%) predominated; mothers were aged between 20 and 29 years (46.6%), with 8-11 years of schooling (43.9%) and preterm pregnancy (65.2%). Although the infant mortality rate decreased during the analyzed decade, high rates persisted in cities in the Sertão (backwoods) and Vale do São Francisco and Araripe macroregions of health services. Conclusions: even though infant mortality declined over the years studied, it is necessary to achieve better rates and confront inequalities and other obstacles that perpetuate the event in Pernambuco State.