The more education a mother has, the greater her baby’s chance of living past its first birthday. That’s according to an annual infant mortality study released today by the Commission to Build a Healthy America, part of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Infant mortality is measured by the number of deaths per 1,000 births.
With a ranking of 46 out of 50, Georgia ties with South Carolina among the states with the nation’s highest rates of infant deaths -- just under 10 per 1,000. Other states with soaring infant mortality rates inlcude Delaware (48), Alaska (49), Tennessee (50) and Washington, D.C. (51).
And, although Georgia's black babies die at more than twice the rate of the state's white babies, experts say its time to dispel the myth that it’s simply a matter of black versus white.
Eileen Arkin is with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
"We want to be really cognizant of differences in opportunities by race and resources. But this report looks at infant mortality and actually childrens' health as well, considering a family's income and education. And, we found that there are huge differences in infant mortality and in childrens' good health, depending on family income and the education of the mom. And, so it's not just a racial or ethnic differences."The report also examined the impact income has on a child’s survival rate. On that scale, Georgia came in 41st. But, as Arkin notes, it’s not just the state’s poorest kids who are unhealthy.
"We also see gaps between childen in families in middle income and children in higher income. So, we see that there is large room for improvement in the health status of children in families with a middle income as well."The Commission to Build A Healthy America ranks the United States 28th worldwide in infant mortality rates, bypassing so called less developed nations.
