Childhood mortallity trends in rural South Africa: an investigation using demographic surveillance data

Nadine Nannan, Medical Research Council of South Africa

South Africa is one of the countries in the southern Africa region that has witnessed reversals in the gains made in child survival since about 1992 and has experienced major social changes and the implementation of government programs. The Africa Centre Demographic and Information Surveillance Area situated in rural Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, has been under demographic and health surveillance since 2000. The wealth of prospective data provide opportunity to investigate some of the factors associated with childhood mortality. Event history data from 2000 up until 2007 is analysed to investigate changes in the age pattern of childhood mortality over time and what age groups are particularly sensitive to conditions of poverty amongst a relatively homogeneous rural population. Results will be presented.