ON INFANT MORTALITY PATTERNS IN URBAN AND RURAL AREAS OF EGYPT A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Abstract

Infant mortality is one of the most sensitive demographic indicators, since it accounts for an important share of all losses of life in a country. It also reflects the socio-economic and health status of the country and reveals the efforts of the govern• ment to improve the standard of living in general • In Egypt, estimated infant mortality rates are alarmingly high although reported rates are far be±o·. Reported data for 1979 indicate a national average of 79 infant deaths per thousand live births, which should be taken into consideration with the well established high ratios of under-registration amounting to 33.46% for overall Egypt (CAPMAS, 1977). This may explain the importance of studying the socio-economic, health and educational status of the country which is generally related to this high magnitude of infant mortality levels . The principal aim of this thesis is to particularly examine the situation of infant mortality in Egypt and its position within the whole world in general. In addi• tion, the differentials will be examined, i.e. taking into consideration the differences in the pattern of infant mortality by urban/rural, male/female, and by governorates.