The Rate and the Causes of Under-5-Year-Old Children Mortality in Isfahan Province, Iran, during the Years 2012-2018

The aim of present study was to evaluate the rate and causes of mortality of under-5-year-old children in a 7-year period.

This retrospective cross-sectional study was performed in 2019. The data about mortality of under-5-year-old children were collected in districts covered by Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (MUI), Isfahan, Iran, between the years 2012 and 2018. The data gathered as census from the database of family and population group in the provincial health center. We evaluated all the data of deaths and their causes.

The neonatal mortality rate ranged between 6.56 and 7.34 per 1000 live births during the study period. The most common causes of neonatal deaths were malformations, respiratory distress syndrome, and sepsis, respectively. The infantile mortality rate aged less than 12 months ranged 9.01 and 10.24 per 1000 live births. The mortality rate of children between 1 and 59 months old reduced from 4.6 to 4.27 per 1000 live births. The most common causes of death in 1-59-month-old children were cardiovascular diseases, accidents, and neurological diseases, respectively. Under-5 mortality rate reduced from 11.79 to 10.83 per 1000 live births.

In studied 7-year period, the trend of less than 5 years old mortality rate decreased in regions that covered by Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.