Factors Influencing Infant Mortality in Kenya and Tanzania

Recent demographic and health surveys have demonstrated massive declines in infant mortality in Kenya and Tanzania. This study employed survival analysis in order to demonstrate how various factors are related to infant mortality in Kenya and Tanzania. Level of education of the mother, occupation of the mother, region and birth order/preceding birth interval were found to be common factors explaining infant mortality in the duo. Unlike in Tanzania, old age at maternity was a significant determinant of infant mortality in Kenya. While the usage of well water was less likely to result to the death of a postneonate in Kenya, it was more likely to result to a postneonate death in Tanzania. The study backs up any health policy scheme that seeks to stimulate use of family planning methods to increase on birth spacing and reduce on higher order births that have been found to be significantly related to infant mortality at 0.01 significance levels.