Abstract
Background and objectives: Under five Year mortality rate is one the important indicators of health and development in various countries. Although it is reduced to half worldwide and in our country in the past decades but it is yet growing in some countries. This study has been done for documentation of children mortality trend in recent 10 years (1993-2003) in the East Azarbaijan province and also to demonstrate it’s situation in the country and world. This study also will have a look to important causes of death in children in the province and will have some suggestions to improve the situation.
Materials and Methods: This study is a descriptive study, in which all of the rural area population in East Azarbaijan was studied in 1993 and 2003. Variables like neonatal, infant and under five mortality rates were studied. Data were collected based on vital horoscope documentation which is used in health houses for data gathering. After correction, data were analyzed.
Results: Under-five mortality rate in rural areas of East Azarbaijan province was %47.78 and %27.35 at 1993 and 2003 respectively. This province enjoys more decrease in child mortality rate in comparison with country’s average in the past decade. The most important factors of mortality of children are accidents, acute respiratory infection and diarrhoea in order of occurrence.
Conclusion: East Azarbaijan provience has reached to the lower average of the lower average of child mortality rate in the country during 1993-2003. In comparison with the country level East Azarbaijan has acceptable achievements in child mortality reduction and child health promotion.