BIRTH-WEIGHT AND OTHER DETERMINANTS OF INFANT AND CHILD-MORTALITY IN 3 PROVINCES OF CHINA

Information on levels, trends and determinants of infant and child mortality was available from the 1985 In-depth Fertility Survey which was conducted in three provinces of China. Mortality of children below age 5 varied from 49 per 1000 live births in Shaanxi to 20 in Shanghai in 1980–85 and has declined substantially since 1960, from 206 in Shaanxi and 66 in Shanghai. Male mortality was considerably higher than female mortality in the neonatal and post-neonatal period, and at ages 1–5 years. Birth weight, place of residence and mother’s education were found to be important determinants of mortality; age of mother and parity were less important. © 1991, Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved.