Socio-economic differentials and determinants of infant and child mortality in Assam: a case study of Jorhat and Dhubri districts

Ritu Kumar Mishra, Population Foundation Of India

Objectives: This study is an attempt to study to find out the socio-economic causes of infant and child mortality differentials in the district of Dhubri and Jorhat in Assam (India). Methodology: Jorhat and Dhubri districts are chosen on the basis of the highest and lowest infant as well as child mortality respectively. In this study, the women of reproductive age group are taken as the unit of analysis. Chi-square test, Null Hypothesis and Binary Logistic Regression have been used for the analysis. Results: Differentials in infant and child mortality that were observed between different socio-economic and demographic sub- groups and the factors which were observed to affect child mortality significantly may have important policy implications. Conclusion: This study suggests scope for further research where the inclusion of the biological variables, like birth weight, may be better able to explain the relationship of socio- economic and demographic variables with infant and child mortality.