Measurement and Correlates of Child Mortality in Yemen

Abstract

Child mortality is one of the most important indicators of a country's general medical and health quality, and subsequently, the country's level of socioeconomic development. Yemen is one of the poorest countries in the Middle East and North Africa region and has a low Human Development Index (HDI), presenting high rates of child mortality. The objective of this paper is to calculate the rate of infant mortality and child mortality in Yemen and put into evidence some characteristics of households that may influence the rate of child mortality. The database that is used is the Yemen National Social Protection and Monitoring Survey (NSPMS). The Brass indirect method was used for calculating infant and child mortality rates, while Poisson regression was utilized for putting into evidence covariates that may affect mortality. According to the results of Brass indirect analysis, infant and child mortality rates are elevated in Yemen. Poisson regression puts into evidence the importance of mother education, quantity of water available, household economic situation and electricity in household in reducing child mortality. Yemen needs to increase the access to schools of population, particularly of girls, and improve the infrastructure of the country, mainly water and electricity supply, with the objective of further reduction of child mortality.