Çocuk Sağlığı ve Hastalıkları Dergisi
2009 , Vol 52 , Num 3
Poverty and child mortality: the effect of household wealth status on child mortality
Hacettepe Üniversitesi Nüfus Etütleri Enstitüsü Demografi Araştırma Görevlisi1,Demografi Doçenti2,
Child mortality is one of the most important indicators of development. Therefore,
reducing the mortality rate among children under five by two-thirds between
1990 and 2015 is among the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.
For a long time, high infant mortality rates, which were out of line with the
socioeconomic development level, were labeled as a “Turkish puzzle”. Although
the results of the Turkey Demographic and Health Survey 2003 revealed that
infant mortality reduced to 29 per thousand and under-five mortality reduced
to 37 per thousand, these numbers conceal the vulnerable situation of some
sub-social groups. Children of poorest households experienced 4.7 times higher
risk of dying before completing their first birthday and 3.5 times higher risk
of dying before completing their fifth birthday than children from the richest
households. Descriptive analyses have shown that parents of children living in
poor households are less educated as opposed to those in richer households.
Unhygienic living conditions, low health insurance coverage and limited access
to antenatal and delivery care services appeared to be the most important factors
creating an elevated risk of mortality among children of poor households.
Anahtar Kelimeler :
yoksulluk, bebek ölümleri, çocuk ölümleri, Binyıl Kalkınma Göstergeleri, Türkiye.