Infant and Perinatal Mortality in Rural Areas: A Comparison of Inuvik, Canada to Mseleni, South Africa

• Main Author: Low Ah Kee, Julia
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: UBC Journal of Family Practice Research and Scholarship 2015
• Subjects: infant; perinatal; mortality; health care; Arctic; Canada; Inuvik; Northwest Territories
• Online Access: http://ojs.library.ubc.ca/index.php/familypractice/article/view/187177

Background: Perinatal mortality is commonly used as an indicator of a country’s general standard of living and health status because they reflect socioeconomic conditions, access to health care, and the health status of women of childbearing age. However, disparities in health exist within countries between subpopulations, including those in Canada. Notably, access to health care is often viewed as a significant barrier to health in rural, as compared to urban, areas.Objectives: The main purpose of this study is to determine whether the perinatal mortality in the rural and remote arctic town of Inuvik is more similar to that of a rural town in a less developed country, namely, Mseleni, South Africa, or to that of the rest of Canada. Specifically, the objectives of this study are two-fold: (1) To compare perinatal mortality in two rural hospitals across the globe – Mseleni, South Africa, and Inuvik, Canada, and (2) to compare the perinatal mortality in Inuvik to that of the rest of Canada.Method: Ethics approval was obtained from the UBC Behavioural Research Ethics Board. Perinatal mortality data for Mseleni was collected from an established statistical database in Mseleni Hospital for the year 2005, and data for Inuvik was compiled by chart review in Inuvik Hospital for 2005, as well as data analysis from the Government of the Northwest Territories. Health Canada was the source for Canadian statistics. Comparative and descriptive statistics were employed for analysis.Results: The perinatal, neonatal, and fetal mortality rates for Mseleni Hospital in 2005 were 28.8, 9.4, and 19.6 per 1000 births, respectively. The perinatal, neonatal, and fetal mortality rates for Inuvik Hospital from 1996 to 2005 were 1.7, 0, and 1.7 per 1000 births, respectively. The perinatal, neonatal and fetal mortality rates for Canada were 6.2, 3 and 4.5 per 1000 births, respectively.Conclusion: The perinatal mortality rates at Mseleni Hospital in South Africa were much higher than those at Inuvik Hospital in Canada. Furthermore, perinatal ...