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In the context of a much higher infant mortality rate (IMR) among Blacks than among Whites in the USA, the purpose of this paper is to compare changes in IMR in the two groups to judge whether the rates of decline are indicative of the so‐called Matthew‐effect or the inverse‐care principle, which, in contrast with the usual expectation of “diminishing marginal product,” suggests that higher level of IMR would be associated with a slower rate of IMR decline.

Changes in the IMR for each group over the period 1980‐2007 are studied. Levels and rates of decline in the two groups are compared for 1980‐1990, 1990‐2000, and 1980‐2007 for the USA. In addition, the levels and rates of decline in the two groups over these periods are also compared for each state.

Despite the much higher level of IMR among Blacks, the rates of decline in IMR over 1980‐1990, 1990‐2000, and 1980‐2007 are considerably lower for Blacks than for Whites when data for the entire USA are considered. Moreover, the same pattern is observed for a vast majority of the states in each period.

This is perhaps the only study that considers the possible operation of the inverse‐care principle relative to Black and White IMR in the USA over a fairly long period. The findings suggest several useful points. First, the pattern is consistent with the Matthew‐effect or the inverse‐care principle, and is not supportive of the usual expectation of “diminishing marginal product” in healthcare improvements. Second, the observed pattern seems to reflect poorer access of Blacks to prenatal, maternal, and infant healthcare. Third, it appears likely that, as suggested by Hart and indicated by recent research on increasing Black‐White IMR disparity, the pattern reflects a high degree of reliance on the market forces in healthcare provision and innovation, particularly relative to infant mortality. Fourth, in that context, greater role of the public sector in healthcare, particularly relative to IMR, might be given serious consideration. Fifth, given the observed pattern, the goal of eliminating racial disparities in IMR is unlikely to be met for a long time. Sixth, the relatively low‐international ranking of the USA in IMR, which has been declining, might not improve for quite some time.

The purpose of this paper is to study the cross‐country relation between initial levels of infant‐, child‐ and maternal‐mortality and their rates of decline so as to see whether the so‐called Matthew effect or the inverse‐care principle operates relative to these three important health indicators.

Data on the three variables for a large number of countries covering several periods between 1950 and 2007 are considered. Signs and significance of correlations between initial levels and the rates of decline over the period, and of coefficients of initial levels in regressions of rates of decline on the initial level, are studied.

First, in a broad global context, higher initial levels of mortality are associated with significantly lower rates of decline in each of the three indicators for every period, thus providing strong support to the operation of the inverse‐care principle and the Matthew effect. Second, the high‐income countries (and transition economies) deviate from the global pattern. Third, following Hart's suggestion, the parametric contrast between the high income and the developing groups may be interpreted as indicative of stronger government intervention in the healthcare sector in high‐income countries. Fourth, the contrast may thus indicate the desirability of greater government intervention in provision of healthcare in developing countries. Fifth, operation of the inverse‐care principle and the Matthew effect is observed even in the absence of high‐HIV prevalence. Sixth, the observed negative covariation between initial mortality and its rate of decline implies cross‐country divergence in these core indicators of health.

First, this is the only study to investigate the operation of the inverse‐care principle relative to infant mortality for such a large number of countries and such a long period. Second, it is also the only study to extend the investigation to child‐mortality and maternal‐mortality, which are heavily emphasized in the millennium development goals. Third, the patterns are studied not only merely for the entire set of countries, but also for several subgroups. Fourth, the observed parametric contrasts are interpreted as possibly reflecting the importance of government intervention in the healthcare sector in mitigating the operation of the inverse‐care phenomenon. Fifth, an effort is made to factor out the role of HIV so as to show that the pattern is not significantly altered by high prevalence of HIV in poor countries. Sixth, the implied cross‐country divergence in these important health variables is suggestive of the need for caution in interpreting the conclusions stated by some scholars about convergence in several quality‐of‐life indicators. Last, contrary to what some scholars have suggested, not merely does it not seem to be the case that the inverse‐care proposition relative to infant mortality is observed only in exceptional cases, but the reported evidence suggests that the proposition holds globally over long periods even for child‐ and maternal‐mortality.

The aim of this paper is to examine biological, maternal and socioeconomic determinants of infant mortality in Sierra Leone.

It uses an analytical framework and Cox proportional hazards regression to break down the effects of factors determining infant mortality. Factors utilized in the empirical investigation include sex of the child, birth size, birth spacing, mother's working status, age of mother, antenatal care, postnatal care, mother's anemia level, religion, mother's education and wealth status.

Results suggest that birth spacing of three years and above associated with a reduced risk of infant mortality contrasted with short birth intervals. Children born to nonanemic mothers have a lower hazard (22%) of infant mortality compared to those born to anemic mothers (HR = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.64–0.96). At least one antenatal care visit by mothers lowers infant mortality rate by 41% compared to no antenatal visits at all ( HR = 0.59; 95% CI: 0.36–0.96). Similarly, infants whose mothers have received postnatal care are at lower risk (31%) of dying than those whose mothers have not received (HR = 0.69; 95% CI: 0.52, 0.93). Infant mortality is likely to decrease with the increase in the birth order.

The family health and planning programs should aim at educating men and women about the usefulness of birth spacing methods.

This paper might be the first attempt to analyze the determinants of infant mortality by utilizing a methodological framework and Cox regression.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-08-2019-0478.

The West Africa coastal area faced with the serious health challenge is the most underdeveloped place. Through making the visualized spatial analysis of this area, this study aims to identify which factor of social vulnerability predominantly affects infant mortality.

This study uses the spatial data available from NASA-affiliated institution and a geographic information system for analysis.

This study reveals that the Poverty and Adaptive Capacity Index, as economic aspect of social vulnerability, is spatially correlated with the infant mortality rate, whereas the Population Exposure Index, as population aspect of social vulnerability, does not. Thus, the economic rather than population factor is probably the driving force of high infant mortality.

This study clarifies the determinant of infant mortality in the West Africa coastal area in space dimension.

The purpose of this paper is to assess the role of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in reducing Infant Mortality in India. The study will help the government in deciding its future course of action regarding the infant mortality rate (IMR) reduction in India.

This paper adopts the interrupted time series analysis (ITSA) approach with a control group to study the role of NRHM in reducing the IMR in India. The authors examined infant mortality in rural areas of India for the level and trend change before and after the implementation of NRHM. The authors then applied a suitable ARMA model to estimate the coefficients of the regression model. From the estimated results, the study predicts the counterfactuals for both the rural IMR and urban IMR and plots the results.

The study found the evidence supporting the hypotheses that the NRHM has led to a reduction in the difference between urban IMR and rural IMR. The research shows that the rural IMR declined at steeper rates in the post-NRHM period (2005–2015).

None of the existing studies analyses the impact of a social scheme like NRHM on the reduction of IMR in India by applying the ITSA. The study is unique as it estimates the counterfactuals and plots the results which show the impact of NRHM on reducing IMR.

The purpose of this paper is to aim at taking a closer look at the decline in the inequality of the distribution of four health variables, infant and child mortality, child stunting and underweight, that took place in various Southeast Asian countries during the past 25 years. More specifically its goal is to check the extent to which this decline in health inequality, as well as the overall reduction in infant and child mortality, in child stunting and underweight, affected the poorest wealth quintile of the population of these countries.

In the first part of the paper the author presents a systematic comparison of the values taken by various consistent measures of the inequality of health attainments and shortfalls for several countries in Southeast Asia and for four health indicators: infant mortality, child mortality, child stunting and underweight. The second part of the paper uses the concept of Shapley decomposition to determine the respective impacts of the decrease in the average value of these health variables and in the inequality of their distribution on the reduction observed for each of these variables in the lowest wealth quintile.

During the period examined there was an important decline infant and child mortality as well as in child stunting and underweight in all countries of Southeast Asia for which data were available. As far as the poorest wealth quintile is concerned this decline was mostly the consequence of the overall decline in these health variables rather than to the reduction of the inequality of their distribution.

Data were available for only four health variables and for many countries data were available for only one period.

A decline in health inequality should be considered as an important aspect of poverty reduction.

Development should not be limited to its economic components. A broader view of development is indispensable.

This study is probably one of the first ones to provide the reader with data on the reduction in health inequality in Southeast Asia as well as on the impact of this decline on the poorest wealth quintile.

The purpose of this paper is to synthesize findings on the effects of existing paid parental leave programs on infant mortality rates (IMR) in the USA as an attempt to aid in efforts for the development of a national paid parental leave policy.

Three articles were reviewed to analyze findings on the effects of existing parental leave programs on IMR in the USA.

The results from the three studies analyzed indicate that unpaid parental leave and parental leave with partial wage replacement can reduce IMR in households with college educated, working mothers.

This review is limited due to only having three studies available to synthesize that pertained to the USA. Implications for future research are to examine the effects of fully paid parental leave programs offered by individual organizations on IMR in the USA.

Providing a needs-based income replacement policy to mothers who wish to take parental leave after the birth of a child may be the best policy to decrease IMR for infants from all socioeconomic backgrounds.

The findings in this review will aid in the ongoing efforts to develop a national paid parental leave policy in the USA.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a new approach to health service quality assurance.

Data were collected using a structured, eight-section questionnaire. Stratified random samples were drawn from four villages based in four Indian regions.

Psychological discomfort is an infant mortality rate (IMR) mediating factor. The root mean square error of approximation fit statistic for the model was 0.08, which was considered the best fit.

Addressing mediating causes can reduce IMR in developing countries.

The model that the authors described helps health institution managers to map quality assurance health management and economics.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between the ratification of the United Nations’ (UN’s) Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and women’s and girls’ health outcomes using a unique longitudinal data set of 192 UN-member countries that encompasses the years from 1980 to 2011.

The authors focus on the impact of CEDAW ratification, number of reports submitted after ratification, years passed since ratification, and the dynamic impact of CEDAW ratification by utilizing ordinary least squares (OLS) and panel fixed effects methods. The study investigates the following women’s and girls’ health outcomes: total fertility rate, adolescent fertility rate, infant mortality rate, maternal mortality ratio, neonatal mortality rate, female life expectancy at birth (FLEB), and female to male life expectancy at birth.

The OLS and panel country and year fixed effects models provide evidence that the impact of CEDAW ratification on women’s and girls’ health outcomes varies by global regions. While the authors find no significant gains in health outcomes in European and North-American countries, the countries in the Northern Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, Southern Africa, Caribbean and Central America, South America, Middle-East, Eastern Asia, and Oceania regions experienced the biggest gains from CEDAW ratification, exhibiting reductions in total fertility, adolescent fertility, infant mortality, maternal mortality, and neonatal mortality while also showing improvements in FLEB. The results provide evidence that both early commitment to CEDAW as measured by the total number of years of engagement after the UN’s 1980 ratification and the timely submission of mandatory CEDAW reports have positive impacts on women’ and girls’ health outcomes. Several sensitivity tests confirm the robustness of main findings.

This study is the first comprehensive attempt to explore the multifaceted relationships between CEDAW ratification and female health outcomes. The study significantly expands on the methods of earlier research and presents novel methods and findings on the relationship between CEDAW ratification and women’s health outcomes. The findings suggest that the impact of CEDAW ratification significantly depends on the country’s region. Furthermore, stronger engagement with CEDAW (as indicated by the total number of years following country ratification) and the submission of the required CEDAW reports (as outlined in the Convention’s guidelines) have positive impacts on women’s and girls’ health outcomes.

The purpose of this paper is to employ a two-step approach to investigate the bi-directional causal linkage between: economic growth (measured by GDP) and public expenditure on health; public expenditure on health and infant mortality rate (IMR); and economic growth and IMR in the Indian context.

The present study uses econometric analysis, namely, panel cointegration and Granger causality on 20-year panel data on 16 major Indian states to investigate the causality.

The results suggest GDP to Granger cause public expenditure on health both in the short run and in the long run, but public expenditure on health to Granger cause GDP only in the long run. Further, public expenditure on health and economic growth were found to Granger cause IMR in the long run. However, the reverse linkage from IMR to public expenditure on health and/or economic growth was not significant.

The present study provides support to the existing literature on the effects of economic growth on health expenditure and health outcomes but also raises a question on the time required to realize the same.

The findings have implications for policy makers on the time frame and application of health expenditure to achieve better results.

The present study is one of the first to test the tripartite linkage between economic growth, public health expenditure and health outcomes at a state-level analysis.