Levels and differentials of infant and childhood mortality in Pakistan

Abstract

The aim of this study is to find the mortality levels, and based on those levels suggest the estimates for infant (iqo) and childhood (4q1) mortality for the population of Pakistan. Moreover, also to identify the groups of population having differentials in mortality. The data used for the study were collected in the "Housing Economic and Demographic (HED) Survey 1973" conducted as part of the 1972 Population Census. The analysis is based on Trussell's method of indirect estimation of childhood survivorship, using the West family of model life tables wherever required. The findings of the study suggest that the mortality situation in Pakistan had remained constant during 1967-72 period, and variations in mortality do exist among various groups of population. The estimates suggest that the infant mortality (lqo) and childood mortality (4q1) was 107 and 54 per thousand respectively. The expectation of life at birth (°e₀ ) (based on survivorship of children of both sexes under the age of five years) was around 52.5 years (based on accepted level of 14.7 of west model life tables) during 1967-71. But it seems that as compared to other estimates, the findings of this study is at the lower side of the actual mortality situation. On the differential side, it was noticed that the children (under the age of five years) of women in rural areas, of low socioeconomic status and who live in Baluchistan are exposed to higher mortality than their respective counterparts. Moreover, the mortality among the male children (under the age of five years) is higher than among the female children. Show more