Peer-reviewed article
Assessment of Trend, Pattern and Predictive Factors Determining Infant Mortality Among the Tea Garden Labour Community of Assam, India
Chakravarty A, Baruah NB ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined infant mortality rates and their determinants among tea garden labourers in five districts of Assam, India, using data from 1,308 households. The average infant mortality rate in the study area was 33.14 per 1,000 live births between 2019 and 2023. Maternal education, prematurity at birth, and antenatal care were found to be the strongest predictors of infant survival, while sanitation access and child sex also played significant roles. The findings suggest that targeted interventions in maternal education, healthcare access, and sanitation could reduce infant mortality in this marginalized community.
Key points
- Average infant mortality rate of 33.14 per 1,000 live births in the study period 2019–2023 among tea garden labourers in Assam
- Maternal education, prematurity at birth, and antenatal care during pregnancy were the most significant determinants of infant mortality (p < 0.001)
- Sanitation facility (p < 0.05) and child sex (p < 0.10) had marginal but statistically significant effects on infant mortality
- Monthly household income, mother's age at birth, birth order, and access to safe drinking water did not have significant impact on infant mortality in this population
- Study recommends targeted policy measures focusing on maternal education, healthcare availability and accessibility, and improved sanitation
Limitations
The study is cross-sectional and based on data from 2019–2023, so it cannot determine causality or identify temporal relationships between risk factors and infant mortality outcomes. The findings are specific to tea garden labour communities in five districts of Assam and may not be generalizable to other regions or populations.
Abstract
Abstract Background Infant mortality characterizes a critical public health concern in developing country like India, with considerable disparities across socio-economically marginalized and deprived communities. Despite widespread research at the national and state levels, inadequate empirical evidence exists regarding infant mortality among the tea garden labour community in Assam, who exhibits distinct socio-cultural and livelihood conditions. Addressing this gap, the current study aims to explore the level and determinants of infant mortality among the tea garden community in Assam. Method The study is empirical in nature, based on primary data collected from 1,308 households across five main tea-growing districts of the state- Dibrugrah, Tinsukia, Sivasagar, Jorhat and Sonitpur, adopting a multistage random sampling method. Information was obtained from women belonging to the reproductive age group (15–49 years). The analysis of the research employs a binary logistic regression model to determine the key factors influencing infant mortality. Result The findings of the study reveal that average infant mortality rate in the study area is 33.14 per 1000 live births during the reference period 2019–2023. The results of the regression analysis reveals that maternal education, pre-maturity at the time of birth and ante-natal care of the mother during pregnancy are the most significant determinants (p < 0.001) of infant mortality in the study. Moreover, sanitation facility (p < 0.05) and sex of the child (p < 0.10) are also found to be significant factors having marginal effects on infant mortality. On the contrary, the influence of other variables such as Monthly Income of Household, Mother’s Age at birth, Birth Order of infant, and Access to Safe Drinking Water are not found to have significant impact on experience of infant mortality. Conclusion The study therefore highlights the need for targeted policy measures and interventions focusing on maternal education, healthcare availability and accessibility, and improved sanitation to reduce infant mortality among the tea garden communities. These findings of the study provide context-specific insights that can help in policy formulation for marginalized population in Assam.