Determinants of mortality among one to four years old children in Ethiopia: A study based on the 2011 EDHS data

Abstract

Background: According to the UN report for the 10 years before 2011, the mortality rate for under-five children has decreased by 35% worldwide. UNICEF reported that Ethiopia reduced under-five mortality by 40% over the 15 years before 2008. From the EDHS 2011 report child mortality rate in Ethiopia went down from 50 out of 1000 deaths in 2005 to 31 out of 1000 in 2011. Despite this encouraging development the country is expected to do more to bring down child mortality rate to a lower level.
Objectives: This study was done to estimate the survival of one to four years old children in Ethiopia and to identify determinants of mortality for this age group of children.
Methods: The study used the 2011 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey data. Survival analysis was employed to analyze the data on 12,710 children.
Results: The results showed that the predictors mother’s education, mother’s age, marital status, birth order(s) and place of residence had significant impact on child mortality. On the other hand sex of a child, family size, wealth index, water source and toilet facility were not found to be significant.
Conclusion: A lot of effort has to be made to intensify educating females so as to alleviate their level of empowerment. The concerned government and nongovernment bodies, the media and the wider community should discourage early marriage. Due to the fact that a much larger proportion of child mortality occurred in rural areas of the country, it is necessary to avail child and mothers maternal care services infrastructure outside the urban areas.