Social, Economic, and Cultural Determinants Last week, you read research into the medical causes of infant mortality. This week, you will study research into the social, economic, and cultural causes...

Socio, Economic, and Cultural Causes of Infant Mortality 1
The Effect of Racial Residential Segregation on Black Infant Mortality
Background
This article states that the economical differences as well as proximal risk factors do
not clearly explain the existing high infant mortality rate of the black (African Americans).
The African American infant mortality rates are two to three times more than non Hispanic
whites.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis states that the racial residential segregations play an autonomous role
in the high rate of infant mortality in blacks; their post-neonatal mortality rate differences;
and contribution in this disparity of the post-neonatal mortality rates by cause. Segregations
estrict the economic and social advantages as well as it imposes negative environmental
exposures which black infants and women experiences.
Study’s Methodology
This advanced study of the cu
ent research was ca
ied out through exploring the
causal effects of the segregation using the exchangeable populations. For the purpose,
677,777 samples of black infants were collected within the cities having 250,000 or more
esidents during 2000-2002 (as per US Lined Birth Death records). The results were rates of
post-neonatal mortality; all-causes of the infant’s mortality; and the external causes for
infant’s death. The segregation was measured with the help of isolation index from 2000 US
Census Housing Pattern (dichotomized at 0.60) and propensity score matching method was
used.
Socio, Economic, and Cultural Causes of Infant Mortality 2
Study’s Findings
In this study, it was found that the crude black infant mortality rate is two to three
times more than white infant mortality rate. As per matching the propensity score, no
independent effect of the segregation on the black infant mortality rate for overall, post-
neonatal, and neonatal mortality was seen, regardless of their economic status of the place.
Moreover, it was found that the blacks who resided within hyper-segregated place having low
tax capacity accounted 63.43 more deaths per 100,000 live births due to SIDS and 13.14
more death per 100,000 live births due to the assault. There was no statistical significance of
the independent effects of segregation on blacks or white post-neonatal infant’s mortality or
the cause specific post-neonatal deaths.
Conclusion
It was found that there is small statistical evidence about the fact that segregations
play an independent role in case of blacks’ infant mortality rates as well as infant mortality
disparity. At the same time it is difficult to separate the contextual effects from characteristics
of the individuals. This study presents a significant theoretical and methodological advance.
Socio, Economic, and Cultural Causes of Infant Mortality 3
Association of Childhood Social-economic Position with Cause-specific Mortality in a
Prospective Record Linkage Study of 1,839,384 Individuals
Hypothesis or Objective
The lack of earlier studies in assessing associations between the early life socio-
economic position as well as adult cause specific mortality has motivated the authors to ca
y
out this research. This is very large size and record linkage study that is aim to establish
association of the early life socio-economic population with wide range of the cause specific
mortality outcome. The outcome variables consists of all cause and cause specific deaths that
are defined as underlying cause of the deaths recorded on the death certificates.
Study’s Methodology
In this cohort study, associations of the parental social class at the age of 0-16 years
with the mortality among 1,824,064 Swedes was examined, who were born in 1944-1960 and
are still alive as well as are living in Sweden in 1970. The various attributes like date of birth,
sex, and unique identity numbers were retrieved from Swedish Multi-Generation Register.
Afterwards, linkage was made between these records, index participant’s death (extracted
from Swedish Cause of Death Register for the deaths till December 31, 2001) records, and to
that of socio-economic population data from Swedish Population and Housing Census
databases for 1960, 1970, 1980, and 1990. Here, the follow-up period was split into 10 year
intervals and it was adjusted for the time updates later life socio-economic populations
assessed within the 10 years of the death.
Study’s Findings
This huge cohort study found that males and females from the manual compared with
the non-manual social class background in the early life are having more chance to die from
Socio, Economic, and Cultural Causes of Infant Mortality 4
ange of the disease outcomes, like smoking related cancers, cardiovascular disease,
espiratory diseases, diabetes – are associated with the behavioral risk factor. Further male
form the manual as compared with non-manual backgrounds, are having more probability to
die from homicide, unintentional injury, as well as alcoholic ci
hosis. Moreover, educational
attainment resulted in the marked attenuation of the associations, with life social classes
having less marked attenuation impacts.
Conclusion
This study concluded that the much of the early life socio economic position and the
adult diseases can be mediated through behavioral risk factors which can be modified...