Review of Under-Five Deaths through Verbal Autopsy in a Rural Block of Haryana

Abstract

Introduction: Under-five mortality rate (U5MR) serves as an indicator for the health and socioeconomic status of a given population. Earlier MDGs and now SDGs pledge to bring down the U5MR. Verbal autopsy enables to make a retrospective enquiry into events leading to death, identify delays contributing to death and establish probable cause of death. This study aimed to compare the determinants and delays leading to infant and child deaths. Methodology: A cross sectional study was carried out in a rural block of district Rohtak from July 2015 to June 2016. All the under-five deaths that took place during study period were reviewed through verbal autopsy using NRHM death review formats. The data collection was done through house-tohouse visits. Data was analysed using SPSS. Results: The infant mortality rate was be 34.1 per 1000 live births and the under-five mortality rate was 38.2 per 1000 live births. Educational and socio-economic status of the parents significantly affected deaths. Accident/injury and diarrhoea were the major causes of child deaths. Conclusion: Factors contributing to the mortality among the under-five children were the lower educational status of parents especially mothers, not practising EBF, inadequate knowledge regarding danger signs among parents, socio- economic barriers to care seeking and cultural beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]