To analyze the level of human development in a given country, it is necessary to carry out studies on several social indicators, more specifically the percentages on the health condition, income, education and expectation of life.
Based on data from social indicators, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) developed a method of evaluation called Human Development Index (HDI).
A very important indicator for the analysis of the HDI is infant mortality, which corresponds to the number of children who die before reaching one year of age.
In Brazil, infant mortality rates have decreased a lot in the last two decades, however, the rate remains very high, around 23.6 deaths/thousand births. If compared to other countries, it is more evident that there is much to improve, as in nations like Sweden, the rate is 3 deaths/thousand births; Norway, 10.4 deaths/thousand births; and Canada, 4.63 deaths/thousand births. Even in less developed countries, the rates are better than those of Brazilians, such as South Korea, 4.01 deaths/thousand births; Cuba 6 deaths/thousand births; Chile 13 deaths/thousand births; Costa Rica, 9.01 deaths/thousand births; Argentina, 19 deaths/thousand births; and Thailand, 10.06 deaths/thousand births.
The high infant mortality rate in the world and in Brazil comes from two problems and/or causes, the family income that directly affects the quantity and quality of food, as well as medical and sanitary conditions, such as lack of paving, sewage, treated water and housing conditions. Indices vary according to income. Even in poor areas where rates are high, the social strata with better purchasing power have lower rates, and the low-income layer always presents rates higher than the average national. Variation can also occur between different cities, states and regions.
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To improve the aforementioned rates, Brazil set a goal of reducing infant mortality rates by 15.6% by the year 2015. This is a measure to fulfill the Millennium Goals, carried out in 2000, in the Declaration of the United Nations Millennium Summit, which took place in the American city of New York. The stipulated target has already been surpassed in Rio Grande do Sul (which has the lowest rate in the country 13.5 deaths / thousand birth), but this percentage does not reflect the national reality, so there is a lot to do in this regard.
By Eduardo de Freita
Graduated in Geography
Brazil School Team
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
FREITAS, Eduardo de. "Brazilian HDI: Infant mortality in Brazil"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/brasil/idh-brasileiro-mortalidade-infantil-no-brasil.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
