Reducing Infant Mortality: Assessing a Regional Effort

Abstract

This article examines and assesses the efforts of one region to reduce infant mortality and build a viable perinatal health care system. Because infant mortality is affected by several complicated variables, any effort to reduce that mortality must involve a variety of regional and community responses. In the region under study, an analysis of such responses reveals clear examples of organizational development as well as humane concern by health care providers, physicians, public officials, nurses, and community leaders. Data from this ongoing study indicate that successful community efforts to reduce infant mortality will likely have to address the issues of (a) inaccessibility of health care for the indigent, (b) lack of adequately trained health care personnel in rural areas, (c) attitudes regarding sex, pregnancy, and parenting procedures, (d) ensuring acceptance within the medical community of new technology, (e) securing advanced and adequately equipped patient transport systems, (f) developing means of coping with ethical life-and-death issues, (g) designing a health care system that meets the specific needs of teenage parents, and (h) recognizing unique needs of ethnic and cultural groups.