The problem of under-registration of infant deaths in Jamaica.
Trop Doct
; 22(3): 125-6, 1992 Jul.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-1641892
PIP: Infant mortality rate (IMR) is an important indicator of a country's socioeconomic development. While IMR has declined among most developing countries over the past 3 decades, under-registration of infant deaths remains a serious problem. In the case of Jamaica, IMR declined from 102/1000 in 1945 to 32/1000 in 1970 to 13/1000 by 1984. This 1984 rate is comparable to those enjoyed in the US, Austria, UK, Spain, and Australia. Significant under-registration of infant births and deaths, however, render suspect the validity of Jamaica's IMR of 13/1000. One study found 34% of infant deaths to be unregistered, while another found 9.0% of 10,249 live births to be also be unregistered. Under-registration of this magnitude is the result of faulty hospital procedures and recording systems, a lack of standardization of related terminology, and the under-registration of live births. Inaccurate IMR adversely affects development and health planning. Efforts should therefore be made with the active support of the Ministry of Health to strengthen the registration system by increasing the numbers of registrars of births and deaths and training all personnel involved in registration.^ieng
Key words
Americas; Caribbean; Critique; Demographic Factors; Developing Countries; Development Planning; Economic Factors; Error Sources; Health And Welfare Planning; Infant Mortality; Information; Information Processing; Jamaica; Measurement; Mortality; Needs; North America; Population; Population Dynamics; Records; Research Methodology; Social Planning; Undercount
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Registries
/
Infant Mortality
Limits:
Humans
/
Infant
/
Newborn
Country/Region as subject:
Caribe ingles
/
Jamaica
Language:
En
Journal:
Trop Doct
Year:
1992
Document type:
Article
Country of publication:
United kingdom