Italian Journal of Pediatrics201945:11 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-018-0594-6
Background
All the
children of the world should be born equal, but this is not so: even in Italy,
there are striking differences already at birth. Neonatal and infant mortality
are accurate indexes to assess the demographic wellbeing and quality of life of
a population. The aim of the present study is to analyze the infant (IMR) and
neonatal (NMR) mortality rates of Italian and foreign children and to evaluate
if there is a disparity among geographical macro-areas.
Methods
Data from
2006 to 2015 were collected by the Italian Statistics Bureau (ISTAT) and
extracted from two different national databases, which considered i) underlying
cause of death and ii) birth registry. Mortality rates were calculated using
conventional definitions. The main analyses were made comparing Italian versus
foreigners as a single category as well as by country origin and contrasting
Northern residents versus Southern ones. Comparisons between groups were done
using relative risks.
Results
Data show
disparity in neonatal and infant mortality among immigrant and Italian
residents. In 2015, neonatal (3.0 vs. 1.8/1000) and infant (4.5 vs 2.6/1000)
mortality rates were higher among foreign children compared to Italian
children. Among babies born to immigrant women, there is a higher infant mortality
among children born to women coming from Central and South Africa (8.2 /1000).
Inequalities
are reported even among Italian regions: in Southern Italy, infant mortality is
1.4 fold higher than in Northern Italy.
Conclusion
Inequalities
in neonatal and infant mortality are evident between Italians and immigrants
and among geographical macro-areas There is therefore urgent need for a
political and social plan focusing on infancy.
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