20 - Year period (1990-2009) of Infant Mortality Rate in rural area of Fars province, south Iran: A time-series study

Reforming and providing primary health care services in the past two decades had a wonderful impact on health indicators, particularly in rural communities. Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)always regarded as an important indicator of health system. This study conducted to show the twenty-year IMR trend and its relationship with some of socio-economic indicators in Fars province, south of Iran, during 1990 -2009. In this time-series study, using ecological data from vital horoscope and also regression model, we showed trend of IMR and also affecting some health and non-health indicators on twenty-year IMR trend. P value under 0.05 was considered as significant level. During this 20-years period, IMR had a downward trend from 31.5 to 16.2 in 1000 live births (p<0.001). There is a significant relation (p<0.05) exist between IMR and predictive variables such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), literacy of women above 15 and rate of deliveries in hospital, and IMR. Decreasing and improving IMR during the past twodecades period showed that the government health policy and investment had achieved a successful result. However, with promotion and renewing primary health cares, we can improve IMR and other health indicators than before.