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The trends in maternal mortality between 1996 and 2009 in Guizhou, China: Ethnic differences and associated factors

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Summary

China bears a large burden of global maternal mortality, and the largest burden of maternal deaths in China is in poor western provinces. This study aimed to investigate the trends in maternal mortality and its associated factors in Guizhou province of western China between 1996 and 2009, and examine differences between minority and non-minority counties. A population-based, longitudinal, retrospective study was performed in a poor western province of China with a considerably large ethnic minority population. All 86 counties/districts of Guizhou were included with population at county, township and village level. Maternal mortality data were collected from routine reporting database of Guizhou Provincial Health Bureau. Trend and comparative analyses and multivariate linear regression analyses were performed using SPSS 17.0. Maternal mortality ratio (MMR) and its change over time, differences between ethnic groups were analyzed. A declining trend in maternal mortality and rising trend in hospital delivery in Guizhou was observed; ethnic differences between two ethnic groups persisted. The reduction in maternal mortality between 1996 and 2009 was related with increased gross domestic product, decreased male illiteracy rate, and increased hospital delivery rate. We found the declining trends in maternal mortality in Guizhou with persisting ethnic differences. The declining trends are related with economic development, hospital delivery and male illiteracy. Effective health education on maternal health is urgently needed for the minority groups, and basic education for the new generation should be enhanced to eradicate the illiteracy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Public Health and Management of Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, China

    Qing Du  (杜 清) & Wu Lian  (练琪琪武)

  2. The Norweigian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, 0403, Norway

    Øyvind Næss

  3. The Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0317, Norway

    Øyvind Næss & Espen Bjertness

  4. Tibet University Medical College, Lhasa, 850012, China

    Espen Bjertness

  5. Norweigian Center for Minority Health Research, Oslo, 0424, Norway

    Bernadette Nirmal Kumar

  6. Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China

    Shu-hua Shi  (石淑华)

Authors
  1. Qing Du  (杜 清)
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  2. Wu Lian  (练琪琪武)
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  3. Øyvind Næss
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  4. Espen Bjertness
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  5. Bernadette Nirmal Kumar
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  6. Shu-hua Shi  (石淑华)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Qing Du  (杜 清).

Additional information

This study was supported by a grant from the University of Oslo of Norway for the research collaboration between National Center for Women and Children’s Health of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Faculty of Medicine of University of Oslo.

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Du, Q., Lian, W., Næss, Ø. et al. The trends in maternal mortality between 1996 and 2009 in Guizhou, China: Ethnic differences and associated factors. J. Huazhong Univ. Sci. Technol. [Med. Sci.] 35, 140–146 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-015-1403-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-015-1403-8

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