1School of Health Systems Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai
2School of Medical Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad
3Division of Infectious Diseases, St John's Research Institute, Bangalore
*Corresponding author: Prakash Babu Kodali MPhil Scholar, School of Health Systems Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai-400088 Email Id: prakashuoh@gmail.com
Online published on 4 July, 2016.
Child mortality is one of the most common public health problems which majority of public health programmes tries to address. Though child mortality has been reduced in the past decade, at the same time neonatal mortality raised significantly reflecting itself as a public health problem. The current study tries to epidemiologically study various causes of Neonatal mortality in NICU and quantify how those various causes influence the longitivity of the neonates.
The study draws itself from the secondary data analysis from the data obtained from the three year NICU death registers of the hospital. Data analysis by descriptive statistics, Correlational analysis and Multivariate regression analysis is done using SPSS.
Total number of deaths N=5119, males= 3130, females= 1989. Mean age = 4.16 days, mean weight= 1.913kgs. 66.49% of deaths because of CRA, CRF, RF. Birth weight of the neonate is positively correlated with number of days lived r= 0.039, p≤0.05. Multivariate regression analysis between Independent variable (Number of Days lived) and Independent variables: For CRA, CRF, and RF b=-15.829, (t)=-6.552, p<0.01. For Sepsis and Meningitis b=-12.624, (t)=-5.202, p<0.01. For Birth Asphyxia and HMD b=-16.997, (t)=-6.991, p<0.01. For other Causes b=-16.541, (t)=-6.824, p<0.01. For Weight of the Neonate b=0.241, (t)= 2.530, p<0.05. For gender of the neonate b=-0.027, (t)=1.60
Neonatal mortality is most of the times sidelined though accounts for majority of infant and child mortality in the country. Considering the reducing IMR and under five-mortality now there is a need to shift the focus on reducing neonatal mortality. The study reflects upon the various causes of neonatal mortality for a 3 year span among the children admitted in to NICU. The study results reflect the need for placement of appropriate technologies, increased focus on basic aseptic techniques in the hospital and implementation of long term sustainable public health programmes to reduce neonatal mortality, especially in the deprived sections of the community.
Neonate, Neonatal mortality, NICU, Birth Asphyxia, Meningitis
