oa Level of maternal education is a significant determinant of neonatal survival: A PEARL study analysis

Objective: To analyze demographic and socio-economic determinants of neonatal mortality Introduction: Evidence suggests that it is challenging to reduce the infant and under-five mortality without specific focus on neonatal mortality, given that about 43% of under-five deaths and 60% of infant deaths are attributed to neonatal mortality. Hence, key to achieving MDG-4 is the reduction of the global total of 3.82 million neonatal deaths per year, especially the 3 million who pass away in the first week of life (early neonatal period). Socio-economic and demographic variables are generally viewed as important determinants to a range of health outcomes, including neonatal mortality. The current study collected and analyzed the socio-demographic determinants of Qatar's Neonatal Mortality during 2011 about which little is known in the published literature. Methods: A Prospective National Epidemiologic Study was carried out to assess the association between fourteen demographic and socioeconomic variables and neonatal mortality. Data was collected from the 2011 National cohort of 20,583 live births and 102 neonatal deaths and entered in Qatar National Perinatal Registry (Q-Peri-Reg). One fetal variable (gender), three maternal variables (level of education, occupation, age), three paternal variables (level of education, occupation, age), and seven household (family) variables (nationality, consanguinity, family income, house ownership, type of housing, family type, domestic help) were analyzed in a univariate regression model. Results: Less than secondary level of maternal education was associated with two-fold increase in neonatal mortality (OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.23-3.53, p=0.009). The association between the rest of the thirteen variables and neonatal mortality was non-significant. Conclusions: Higher level of maternal education, as compared to lower level of maternal education, is significantly associated with reduced neonatal mortality. Keywords: neonatal mortality, demographic, socio-economic variables, maternal, paternal, household, family