嬰兒死亡率是嬰兒健康情況的重要指標,同時它能高度地反應一個社會的經濟和社會發展。為探討台灣地區359個鄉鎮市區嬰兒死亡率城鄉差異之變化趨勢,本研究使用1989年至1994年和1996年至2003年內政部「中華民國臺閩地區人口統計資料」中之各縣市鄉鎮市區嬰兒出生人數資料與行政院衛生署全國的死亡資料電腦檔案進行分析。 結果顯示台灣地區近幾年來城鄉別之新生兒死亡率、後期新生兒死亡率、嬰兒死亡率是在下降的,而隨著城鄉別都市化愈低,在新生兒、後期新生兒、嬰兒皆有顯著較高之死亡率。本研究期間之後期新生兒死亡率和嬰兒死亡率與先前在台灣於1981年至1988年的研究相比較,本研究期間城鄉別死亡率相對危險性有縮小的現象,而城鄉別後期新生兒和嬰兒之感染疾病死亡率相對危險性也有逐漸縮小之趨勢,但在城鄉別傷害和中毒死亡率相對危險性則有逐漸擴大之趨勢。 本研究顯示這幾年來台灣地區嬰兒死亡率城鄉差異仍然是存在的,尤其在原住民地區最為顯著,要改善嬰兒死亡率在城鄉別之差異,仍需透過政府政策的介入,合理分配有限資源,改善城鄉差異問題。
Infant mortality is known as a health indicator which reflects the status of the economic and social development of a country. To examine the relationship between urbanization level and infant mortality, we analyzed the trends of the neonatal, postneonatal, and infant mortality in 359 townships in Taiwan from 1989 to 1994 and 1996 to 2003. The results showed that the neonatal, postneonatal, and infant mortality have been decreased in Taiwan recently. However, with the urbanization level decreasing, the mortality increased. Compared with the former study in Taiwan, we found that the relative risks of postneonatal and infant mortality(all causes and infectious diseases)between urban and rural areas had been lessened, but the relative risks of postneonatal and infant mortality that arisen from injury and poisoning had been extended. We concluded that the urban-rural differences in infant mortality still exist in Taiwan, especially in aboriginal areas. In order to improve this situation, maybe adequate governmental interventions are required.