ABSTRACT
The available statistical data indicate that Cuban infant mortality fell substantially, by roughly 74.5%, between 1969 and 1988. Especially great gains were made against late neonatal (7-28 days) and postneonatal (28 days-11 months) mortality, though reduction in early neonatal (0-6 days) mortality was also substantial, amounting to about 64.0%. In general the gains were spread fairly evenly among the country's provinces, with infant mortality tending to remain higher in the eastern provinces than in the central and western regions. A key factor contributing to these improvements was a policy decision made in the early 1960s that assigned high priority to the health sector and led to major improvements in health service organization, quality, and coverage. Other associated changes that seem to have made significant contributions to this trend include improvements in living standards, sanitary and epidemiologic conditions, outpatient medical care, hospital care, and health technology.
Subject(s)
Developing Countries , Infant Mortality , Birth Rate/trends , Cuba , Death Certificates , Humans , Infant , Infant, NewbornABSTRACT
PIP: The main causes of perinatal and neonatal mortality in Cuba in 1979 are analyzed using official data. An attempt is made to separate the primary and secondary causes of death, some deficiencies of the available data on perinatal mortality are described, and recommendations for improving the data are proposed. (summary in ENG, FRE)^ieng
Subject(s)
Cause of Death , Fetal Death , Infant Mortality , Mortality , Americas , Caribbean Region , Cuba , Death Certificates , Demography , Developed Countries , Developing Countries , Latin America , North America , Population , Population Characteristics , Population Dynamics , Vital StatisticsABSTRACT
PIP: The development of subsystems designed to improve the vital statistics system in Cuba is described. The first subsystem involved the development of maternity hospitals as subcenters of the civil registration system so that birth registration takes place at the hospital. The second subsystem, established in 1973, involved the development of a perinatal certificate of death that records information on fetal deaths over 500 grams and newborns dying within the first seven days of life. The computerization of these data is also described.^ieng
