1Junior Resident, Department of Community Medicine, Pt. B D Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak
2Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Pt. B D Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak
3Senior Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Pt. B D Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak
Online published on 16 March, 2018.
Under-five mortality rate (U5MR) serves as an indicator for the health and socio-economic status of a given population. Earlier MDGs and now SDGs pledge to bring down the U5MR. Verbal autopsy enables to make a retrospective enquiry into events leading to death and establish probable cause of death. This study aimed to find out the determinants and causes of under-five deaths.
All the under-five deaths that took place during study period in the rural block of district Rohtak were analysed using verbal autopsy. The data collection was done through house-to-house visits in this cross sectional study.
Birth asphyxia and pneumonia were the major causes of infant deaths. The infant mortality rate was be 34.1 per 1000 live births and the under-five mortality rate was 38.2 per 1000 live births. Educational and socio-economic status of the parents significantly affected deaths.
Most of the under five children deaths can be prevented by regular and effective training programmes for health care providers and pregnant females whereas early recognition of danger signs and early referral system can save many precious lives.
Under-five mortality, MDGs, verbal autopsy, determinants, training
