Abstract

PIP: This article discusses the major sources of data on infant and child mortality in India and presents statistics derived from these sources. The 1st Infant and Child Mortality Survey was conducted in 1979 in the units of the Sample Registration System. The results provide valuable insights into socioeconomic and demographic factors that differentially affect mortality. Infant mortality was found to be higher among illiterate women, those married before 18 years of age, at higher partities, and in deliveries not attended by trained medical practitioners. In addition, the existence of indices of development such as water supply, medical facilities, and motorable roads was negatively correlated with infant mortality. The Sample Registration System continues to be the main source for measures of infant mortality on an annual basis at the national and subnational levels and for urban and rural areas. However, the growing demand for estimates of vital rates for small areas such as districts will require either expansion of the Sample Registration System or the strengthening of the Civil Registration System. The latter system is a permanent, compulsory registration of births and deaths, although the completeness and accuracy of the data are inconsistent. Training camps are being organized to train physicians in certification, which should improve the quality of the data. The Survey of Cause of Death, another permanent system that covers primary health centers, is based on an investigation of symptoms and conditions preceding each death. Data from this source indicate that prematurity, respiratory infection, diarrhea, gastrointestinal disorders, and malnutrition are the leading causes of infant deaths, while gastrointestinal disorders, disorders of the respiratory system, and fevers are the major sources of child mortality. Although the basic infrastructure is lacking at this point, it would be desirable to expand the willingness of medical practitioners to certify causes of death in a prescribed manner.