GLOBAL JOURNAL OF MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH 1 www.gjmedph.org Vol. 2, No. 4 2013 ISSN#- 2277-9604 A study of infant deaths in tribal area of Andhra Pradesh, India Ushashree Garikipati 1 , Giridhara R Babu 2* , Hira Pant 3 , GVS Murthy 4 ABSTRACT Objectives This study aimed to determine the prevalence of neonatal deaths and its underlying correlates in tribal area of Andhra Pradesh, India Methods We conducted a two phase cross-sectional study (N=230). Semi- structured questionnaire schedules (in the vernacular-Telugu) were used in the initial qualitative phase, to obtain specific information from mothers who delivered in a one year period prior to the study. Information from the analysed qualitative data was used to construct a questionnaire-schedule for the 2 nd phase which used quantitative survey techniques. Results It was observed that Infant Mortality ratio (IMR) in Vizianagaram district was 239 per 1000 live births in the tribal areas under study. This was ten times higher than that reported by the district (22/1000) and 4-5 times higher than SRS data of 2011 for AP. It was observed that 28% of infants died within first day, 68% within first week (including the first day) and 81% within first month. Conclusions The high IMR observed in the within first month of life in tribal areas, interventions to tackle them should be prioritized in this ‘golden period’. The health workers should be re-trained to identify and manage the early warning signs of neonatal complications. Keywords: Infant mortality, cause of death, prevalence, Prevalence INTRODUCTION Globally an estimated 5 million newborn deaths occur annually, of which 98% are in developing countries and the majority in Asia and Africa. 1 About two thirds of infant mortalities occur in the 1 st month of life and of these two thirds occur in the 1 st week of life. 1 The main causes of early neonatal death are asphyxia, birth trauma, infection, prematurity, and malformation. The other causes of death within 1 st month of life are due to sepsis, pneumonia, meningitis, diarrhea and tetanus. 1 India accounts for 30% of global neonatal deaths as among the 10.7 million children dying each year under the age of 5 years, 4 million die in the 1 st week of life. 2, 3 About a third of all neonatal deaths occur on the 1 st day of life. 3 The major causes of neonatal death in India resemble the global picture with infections, prematurity, asphyxia being the leading causes. 2 Available data shows that annually, GJMEDPH 2013; Vol. 2, issue 4 1 PGDPHM Indian Institute of Public Health Hyderabad, India 2 MBBS, MPH, PhD, Associate Professor Public Health Foundation of Indi Indian Institute of Public Health Hyderabad, Bengaluru Campus, India 3 Tutor Indian Institute of Public Health Hyderabad and South Asia Centre for Vision and Disability Hyderabad, India 4 Professor and Director Indian Institute of Public Health Public Health Foundation of India Kavuri Hills, Madhapur Hyderabad India Reader, International Centre for Eye Health London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Keppel Street, London and Director South Asia Centre for Vision and Disability Hyderabad, India *Corresponding Author Associate Professor, Public Health Foundation of India, IIPH-H Bengaluru Campus, SIHFW premises Beside Leprosy Hospital, 1 st Cross Magadi Road. Bengaluru-560023, India giridhar@iiphh.org Conflict of Interest—none Funding—none