Infant mortality: Temporal trend and contribution of death surveillance

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the temporal trend in infant mortality in the city of Recife, state of Pernambuco, Brazil and evaluate the contribution of death surveillance as an instrument for improving vital statistics and action planning. Methods: Infant, neonatal, and post-neonatal mortality rates were calculated from 1980 to 2012. An exponential regression model was used for trend analysis. A study on the variables, the basic and associated causes of death certificates, and avoidability was conducted to evaluate the contribution of infant death surveillance. Results: The trend in infant mortality rate and its age components was shown to be decreasing. After research on infant death surveillance, no death certificate variable remained incomplete, and the underlying cause of death was better determined in 52% of deaths. Almost 80% of deaths were classified as preventable, and 51.3% were classified as reducible by appropriate care provided to women during their pregnancy. Conclusion: Infant mortality presented a decreasing trend, and infant death surveillance contributed to improve vital statistics, which are essential for maternal-infant health planning actions.