Cherish your children: socio-economic and demographic characteristics associated with child mortality

Abstract

Background: The United Nations Interagency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNIGME) indicates that child mortality is the death rate of children between age zero to five. The importance of this area of research is high where worldwide a number of studies have been led on infant and child mortality, despite limited research discoveries with regards to Sri Lanka. The aim of this study is to investigate the socio-economic and demographic characteristics associated with child mortality in Sri Lanka. Methods: Using the context of Sri Lanka as a case study, this study carried out based on data gathered from the micro level national survey. Using the logit regression model through the step-wise technique, the study investigate the socio-economic and demographic characteristics associated with child mortality in Sri Lanka. Results: According to the generated results, place of residence province-wise, household head’s education level and source of drinking water have negative effect (lower risk) on child mortality in Sri Lanka. Exceptionally, the Western province has the highest negative effect on child mortality which demonstrates it as the least harmful region in Sri Lanka in child endurance. Household heads who owns private entities and Sri Lankan Moors has a positive effect on child mortality as well. Conclusion: This study is helpful to address the population health of local arena and results can be supportive to the government and policymakers to gain an overview of physical health status of the country and able to uplift their policies based on the new findings.