Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Infant health and mortality indicators

Their accuracy for monitoring the socio-economic development in the Europe of 1994

Indicateurs de santé et de mortalité infantile

Leur pertinence comme indicateur du développement économique et social de social de l'Europe de 1994

  • Published:
European Journal of Population / Revue européenne de Démographie Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The ability of infant mortality and health indicators to monitor health conditions in early infancy, and their broader use as indicators of the general level of socio-economic development are discussed from three points of view. These are: (i) the increasing impact of differences in legal definitions of live and stillbirths on the comparability of the infant mortality figures produced by vital statistics; (ii) the validity of mortality measures to monitor health; (iii) the comparability of social inequalities in infant health and mortality over time and across countries.

Résumé

La validité de la mesure de la mortalité infantile comme indicateur de développement économique et social est remise en question dans le contexte de la situation actuelle en Europe. Trois axes de réflexion sont envisagés: l'impact croissant de différences dans les critères légaux de définition des naissances viràntes et des naissances d'enfants mort-nés sur les niveaux de mortalité infantile fournis par les statistiques d'état civil; la pertinence de mesures de mortalité comme indicateurs de santé infantile; la comparabilité dans le temps et dans l'espace des inégalités sociales de santé et mortalité infantile.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abramson, J.H., Gofin, R., Habib, J., Pridan, H. and Gofin, J., 1982. A comparative appraisal of measures for use in epidemiological studies. Social Science and Medicine 16: 1739–1746.

    Google Scholar 

  • Adamchak, D.J., 1979. Emerging trends in the relationship between infant mortality and socioeconomic status. Social Biology 26(1): 16–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Agbonifo, 1983. The state of health as a reflexion of the level of development of a nation. Social Science and Medicine 17(24): 2003–2006.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alexander, S. and Keirse, M.J.N.C., 1989. Formal risk scoring in pregnancy, in: I. Chalmers, M. Enkin, M.J.C.N. Keirse eds. Effective care in pregnancy and childbirth, Vol. I Oxford University Press, London 345–365.

    Google Scholar 

  • Basch, P., 1990. Textbook of International Health. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bauer, R.A., 1966. Social Indicators. The Massachussets institute of Technology Press, Massachussets.

  • Bicego, G.T. and Boerma, J.T., 1993. Maternal education and child survival: a comparative study of survey data from 17 countries. Social Science and Medicine 36(9): 1207–1227.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blaxter, M., 1981. The health of the children. Review of research on the place of health in cycles of disadvantage. Heinemann Educational Books, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blondel, B., Kaminski, M., Du Mazaubrun, C., Rumeau-Rouquette, C., 1982. Surveillance prénatale et filières prénatales pendant la grossesse. Revue d'épidémiologie et de santé publique 30: 21–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boltanski, L. 1969. Prime éducation et morale de classe. Mouton, Paris.

    Google Scholar 

  • Botting, B.J. and Macfarlane, A.J., 1992. Relationship of cultural and social factors to pregnancy outcome in England and Wales, in: Proceedings of the international collaborative effort on perinatal and infant mortality, Volume III (National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville), IV43-IV55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brenner, M.H., 1973. Fetal, infant, and maternal mortality during periods of economic instability. International Journal of Health Services 3(2): 145–159.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buekens, P., Kotelchuck, M., Blondel, B., Borlum-Kristensen, F., Jian-Hua Chen, Masuy-Stroobant, G., 1993. A comparison of prenatal care use in the United States and Europe. American Journal of Public Health 83(1): 31–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Caldwell, J.C., 1979. Education as a factor in mortality decline. An examination of Nigerian data. Population Studies 33(3): 395–413.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carr-Hill, R., 1987. Problèmes méthodologiques, in: P. Aïach, R. Carr-Hill, S. Curtis, R. Illsley eds., Les inégalités sociales de santé en France et en Grande-Bretagne (INSERM, Paris), 121–140.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carley, M., 1981. Social measurement and social indicators. Issues of policy and theory. George Allen and Unwin, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cnattingius, S. and Haglund, B., 1992. Effects of socioeconomic factors on late fetal and infant mortality in Sweden, in: Proceedings of the international collaborative effort on perinatal and infant mortality, Volume III (National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville), IV38-IV42.

    Google Scholar 

  • DaVanzo, J., 1985, Infant mortality and economic development: the case of Malaysia, in: International Population Conference of the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population, Florence 5–12 June 1985 (Ordina Editions, Liège), 79–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dumoulin, M. and Gourbin, C., 1991. Validité des données d'état civil en épidémiologie périnatale en France et en Belgique, in S. Alexander, H. Grandjean, P. Leleux, G. Masuy-Stroobant, F. Puech, M. Ribourdouille eds. Bases de données périnatales et assurance de qualité, Audipog VI, Academia, Louvain-la-Neuvre: 69–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Escobar, G.J., Littenberg, B. and Petitti, D.P., 1991. Outcome among births surviving very low birthweight: a meta-analysis. Archives of Disease in Childhood 66: 204–211.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fender, P., Bréart, G., 1981. La mortalité périnatale dans la C.E.E. et la Suède. Facteurs démographiques, politiques et socio-économiques. Journal de Gynécologie, Obstétrique et Biologie de la Reproduction 10: 329–335.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fenton, A.C., Field, D.J., Mason, E., Clarke, M., 1990. Attitudes to viability of preterm infants and their effect on figures for perinatal mortality. British Medical Journal 300: 434–436.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galtung, J. and Wirak, A., 1979. Les besoins de l'homme, les droits de l'homme et les théories du développement, in: Les indicateurs du changement économique et social et leurs applications (UNESCO, Rapports et documents des sciences sociales no. 37), 7–33.

  • Goldberg, M., 1979. Indicateurs de santé et ‘sanométrie’: les aspects conceptuels des recherches récentes sur la mesure de l'état de santé d'une population. Revue d'épidémiologie et de santé publique 27: 51–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gourbin, C., 1991. Les Pratiques de déclaration des événements ‘naissance vivante’ et ‘mort-né’ en Belgique, 1990. Thèse de maîtrise en démographie, Institut de Démographie, Louvain-la-Neuve, 123 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gourbin, C. and Masuy-Stroobant, G., 1993. Are live and stillbirths comparable all over Europe?. Working Paper no. 179, Institut de Démographie, Université Catholique de Louvain, Academia, Louvain-la-Neuve.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herthoghe, L., De Wals, P., Piron, M., Bertrand, F., Lechat, M.-F., 1987. Quality of perinatal death registration. A study in Hainaut, Belgium. European Journal of Pediatrics 146: 473–476.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hobcraft, J., 1993. Women's education, child welfare and child survival: a review of the evidence. Health Transition Review 3(2): 159–175.

    Google Scholar 

  • Illsley, R., 1990. Comparative review of sources, methodology and knowledge. Social Science and Medicine 31(3): 229–236.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kadin, M., 1982. Socioeconomic measurement in mortality research: an examination of U.S. data in the 20th Century. Research Reports no. 82-85, Population Studies Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keirse, M., 1984. Perinatal mortality rates do not contain what they purport to contain. The Lancet, May 26: 1166–1169.

  • Keirse, M., 1987. De Nederlandse perinatale sterfte in internationaal perspectief. Nederlandse Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde, 131: 905–909.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lesaëge-Dugied, A., 1972. La mortalité infantile dans le département du Nord de 1815 à 1914, in: M.-P. Buriez, C.-H. Dewaepenaere, N. Dombrowski, M. Engrand, C. Engrand, A. Lesaëge eds. L'homme, la vie et la mort dans le Nord au 19ème siècle (Université de Lille III-Editions Universitaires, Lille), 81–137.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liberatos, P., Link, B. and Kelsey, J., 1988. The measurement of social class in epidemiology. Epidemiologic Reviews 10: 87–121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindsay, E., 1985. The epidemiology of perinatal mortality. World Health Statistics Quarterly 38: 289–301.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loriaux, M. and Remy, D., 1980. La mortalité des enfants et les indicateurs socio-économiques de développement: une vision mondiale, in: P.-M. Boulanger et D. Tabutin eds. La mortalité des enfants dans le monde et dans l'histoire (Ordina Editions, Liège), 287–386.

  • Masuy-Stroobant, G., 1983. Les déterminants de la mortalité infantile. La Belgique d'hier et d'aujourd'hui. Ciaco, Louvain-la-Neuve.

  • Masuy-Stroobant, G., 1988. Santé de l'enfant et inégalités sociales. Une enquête dans le Hainaut sur le comportement préventif des mères. Ciaco, Louvain-la-Neuve.

  • Masuy-Stroobant, G., 1989. Social inequalities in perinatal health. Biology of the Neonate 55: 42–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Masuy-Stroobant, G., 1990. Santé de l'enfant et inégalités sociales. Le cas des mères professionnellement inactives, in: L'enfant européen et son futur. Aspects démographiques et médico-sociaux (Editions de l'Ecole Nationale de Santé Publique, Rennes), 232–240.

    Google Scholar 

  • Masuy-Stroobant, G., 1995. Santé et mortalité infantile, indicateurs et comparabilité, in: J. Duchene and G. Wunsch eds. Collecte et comparabilité des données démo-sociales en Europe, Chaire Quetelet 1991 (Académia, Louvain-la-Neuve) in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCormick, M.C., 1985. The contribution of low birthweight to infant mortality and childhood morbidity. New England Journal of Medicine, Jan. 10: 82–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Milner, A.D. and Greenough A., 1988. Adaptation of the respiratory system. British Medical Bulletin 44: 894–908.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moreau, K. and Rousseau, P., 1986. Le deuil périnatal. Bulletin Officiel de la Société Française de Psycho-Prophylaxie Obstétricale 106: 23–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morris, J.N., Heady, J.A., 1955. Social and biological factors in infant mortality. V. Mortality in relation to the father's occupation. The Lancet, March 12: 554–559.

  • Newsholme, A., 1910. Report by the medical officer on child mortality. Supplement to the 30th annual report of the Local Government Board, London.

  • Peller, S., 1948. Mortality. Past and future. Population Studies 1: 405–456.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinnelli, A., 1984. Il record linkage per lo studio della mortalità infantile: aspetti riguardanti la qualità dei dati. Statistica XLIV(4): 675–686.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reid, M., 1986. The persistence of social inequalities in perinatal statistics, in: E. Papiernik, G. Bréart, N. Spira eds., Prévention de la naissance prématurée — Prevention of preterm birth. (INSERM, Paris, Colloque Inserm 138), 47–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rooth, G., 1980. Low birthweight revised. The Lancet, March 22: 639–642.

  • Saurel-Cubizolles, M.-J. and Kaminski, M., 1982a. Work in pregnancy: its evolving relationship with perinatal outcome. A review. Social Science and Medicine 22(4): 431–442.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saurel-Cubizolles, M.-J., Kaminski, M., Rumeau-Rouquette, C., 1982b. Activité professionnelle des femmes enceintes, surveillance prénatale et issue de la grossesse. Journal de Gynécologie, Obstétrique et Biologie de la Reproduction 11: 959–967.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinclair, J.C., 1986. Increasing costs and effectiveness of neonatal care of very low birthweight infants, in: E. Papiernik, G. Bréart, N. Spira eds., Prévention de la naissance prématurée - Prevention of preterm birth. (INSERM, Paris, Colloque Inserm 138), 31–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stewart, A., Reynolds, E., Lipscomb, A., 1981. Outcome for infants of Very Low Birthweight: survey of world literature. The Lancet, May 9: 1038–1040.

  • Stockwell, E.G., 1962. Infant mortality and socioeconomic status: A changing relationship. Milbank Memorial Fund Quarterly 40: 101–111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Townsend, P. and Davidson N., (eds) 1988. Inequalities in health. The Black report. Penguin Books, Harmandsworth.

  • United Nations, 1953. Economic and social factors affecting mortality, in: The determinants and consequences of population trends. United Nations, New-York, 47–70.

    Google Scholar 

  • Villermé, 1830. De la mortalité infantile dans Paris. Annales d'hygiène publique.

  • Wagstaff, A., Paci, P. and Van Doorslaer, E., 1991. On the measurement of inequalities in health. Social Science and Medicine 33(5): 541–577.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilcox, A.J. and Russel I., 1983. Perinatal mortality: standardizing for birthweight is biased. American Journal of Epidemiology 119(6): 857–864.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilcox, A.J. and Russel I., 1986. Birthweight and perinatal mortality: III Towards a new method of analysis. International Journal of Epidemiology 15(2): 188–196.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woodbury, R.M., 1925. Causal factors in infant mortality. Department of Labor, Childrens Bureau, Publications No. 142, Government Printing Office, Washington D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Working Group on the Very Low Birthweight Infant, 1990. European Community collaborative study of outcome of pregnancy between 22 and 28 weeks of gestation. The Lancet, September 29: 782–784.

  • World Health Organization, 1974. Health aspects of population trends and prospects. World Health Statistics Report 27(5): 200–229.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yankauer, A., 1990. What infant mortality tells us. American Journal of Public Health 80(6): 653–654.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut de Démographie, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1 Place Montesquieu, bte 17, B-1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium

    Godelieve Masuy-Stroobant & Catherine Gourbin

Authors
  1. Godelieve Masuy-Stroobant
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Catherine Gourbin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Masuy-Stroobant, G., Gourbin, C. Infant health and mortality indicators. Eur J Population 11, 63–84 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01264105

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01264105

Keywords

Search

Navigation