Socioeconomic Correlates of Child Death in Iran, 2016

Child mortality is one of the most important indicators of the development of societies. This study aims to examine child mortality in Iran according to the latest available data classified by the province of residence.

This is a quantitative study conducted with a secondary analysis of 2% of the results of the 2016 survey in Iran. Child mortality was determined by subtracting the number of surviving children from the total number of children born alive, and it was compared based on the economic and social characteristics of married women aged 15 to 49 years.

Literacy, education, and place of residence were the main variables associated with the death of children. The probability of child death among illiterate mothers was about twice as much as that among educated mothers. Furthermore, mothers with a university education had a 50% lower chance of child death, and urban women had a 30% less chance of child death.

Despite the decrease in child death in the country, economic and social variables still play a decisive role in this index. Therefore, it can be concluded that there is still a potential to further reduce the death of children in the country by improving the economic and social status of women.