Infant mortality is a critical indicator of the health of a population. It illustrates the overall state of maternal health, as well as the quality and accessibility of primary health care available to pregnant women and infants. The infant mortality rate (IMR)is often used to help analyze and monitor a population’s level of maternal and child health. The IMR, however, does not provide sufficient information to understand the many factors that contribute to the infant mortality rate; more robust analytic methods are needed to guide prevention efforts. One such method, the Perinatal Periods of Risk (PPOR), utilizes age at time of death, birth weight, gestational age and fetal death to create a matrix that reflect the effect various risk factors have on a community’s perinatal mortality. The PPOR method was applied to the Philadelphia’s 1996-1998 fetal and infant deaths. Specifically, the method was utilized to better understand the high infant mortality in two communities with IMR significantly higher than the city average. Phase I PPOR analysis for these communities provided information regarding disparities in areas of a) maternal health or prematurity; b) maternal care; c) newborn care; and d) infant health to the areas overall infant mortality. Phase II PPOR analysis provided a closer look into feto-infant deaths disparities related to the maternal health/prematurity and infant health These results were used to establish a dialogue with key maternal and child health stakeholders to begin developing strategies for addressing the root causes of feto-infant mortality in these communities.
Learning Objectives: 1. Recognize the limitations in using traditional infant mortality measures for program and policy planning efforts. 2. Describe the basic constructs of the Perinatal Periods of Risk (PPOR) model and its potential usage in maternal and child health epidemiology 3. Recognize the value of using PPOR as a tool for working with communities to address infant mortality
Keywords: Infant Mortality, Perinatal Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.