Graduation Semester and Year

2015

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Social Work

Department

Social Work

First Advisor

Vijayan K Pillai

Abstract

Despite numerous health gains around the globe, reducing infant mortality continues to be a central Millennium Development Goal. Low- and middle-income countries continue to transition epidemiologically, prompting international investments and a transferring of ideas, technology, and influences into developing nations’ systems. In this systematic way, along with capital and social aid, the translation of knowledge and values are passed. As globalization persists in an ever-changing world, and urbanization efforts receive more assistance funding than sanitation improvements, this paper aims to explore which is the most effective approach for reducing the infant mortality rate (IMR) in developing countries. Indicators from a sample of 139 developing countries were assessed with data for all variables from the 2012 World Data Bank. An adjusted R-square model was used in a pairwise deletion multiple regression. Findings indicate that improved sanitation (R² = 0.001, p = < 0.05) and GNI (R² = 0.000, p < 0.05) are significant in reducing the IMR, while the total fertility rate (R² = 0.000, p < 0.05) and health expenditure (R² = 0.830, p < 0.05) actually increase the IMR, and surprisingly no dramatic relationship is observed between IMR and percentage of urban population (R² = 0.444, p < 0.05). These results suggest that sanitation initiatives, policies regarding reducing fertility, and economic interests should actually be the priorities concerning IMR reduction instead of urbanization and education. Although IMR is decreasing worldwide, addressing the correct indicators in developing countries receiving aid and influence is imperative to effectively eliminate avoidable infant mortality.

Disciplines

Social and Behavioral Sciences | Social Work

License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Comments

Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington

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