Spokane Counts 2011 - Infant Mortality

Infant Mortality

Summary Measures

Indicator: Infant Mortality

Definition: Rate of infants that die before their first birthday per 1,000 births.

Why is this important: Infant mortality, a widely used measure, is an indication of a basic level of community health. It is affected by environmental and socioeconomic factors and is impacted by the availability of quality health care, maternal factors, and birth outcomes.

Where are we: In 2009 in Spokane County, there were 41 infant deaths. The infant mortality rate was stable from 2005 to 2009. The 2009 infant mortality rate in Spokane County was similar to that of Washington State and the U.S. in 2009.

Health Disparities:

Among Spokane County infants in 2009:

Infant mortality was significantly more likely to occur if the mother was younger than 20 years of age.
Infant mortality was significantly more likely among mothers with less than a high school education.
Infants on Medicaid had a higher infant mortality rate than infants not on Medicaid.

There was no difference in infant death rates between males and females or by race.

(click to enlarge)

	Data Source	DOH, CHS, 2009
		Rate per 1,000 births
Geography	Spokane County	6.7 (4.8-9.1)
	WA	4.9 (4.5-5.4)
	U.S.	6.4

	Trend	05-09 No Trend

Age	<20 yrs	16.3 (8.3-31.8)
	20-24 yrs	7.8 (4.6-13.4)
	25-29 yrs	4.6 (2.4-8.8)
	30-34 yrs	5.3 (2.6-10.9)
	35+ yrs	5.7 (2.2-14.5)

Sex	Male	6.5 (4.2-10.1)
	Female	6.9 (4.5-10.5)

	White	6.7 (4.7-9.2)
	Non-White	7.2 (2.0-18.3)

Education	< High school	20.3 (12.2-33.9)
	High school	5.4 (2.9-10.3)
	Some college	6.1 (3.5-10.3)
	College graduate	2.5 (1.0-6.4)

Income	Medicaid	9.5 (6.5-13.7)
	Non-Medicaid	4.1 (2.4-7.0)

Data Source: Washington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics.

Spokane Regional Health District · Community Health Assessment · 1101 W College Ave, Room 360, Spokane, WA 99201
509.323.2853 | FAX 509.232.1706 | TDD 509.324.1464 · www.srhd.org/spokanecounts