Black Californian infants more likely to die
During their first year of life, black infants living in the US state of California are twice as likely to die as infants from any other ethnic group, new statistics from California's department of public health have revealed.
Since 2000, the federal government in the US has been working towards its Healthy People 2010 initiative, which includes reducing infant mortality rates among all races to less than 4.5 deaths per 1,000 by 2010.
Average infant mortality rates have fallen, from 12.6 deaths per 1,000 births to 6.9 per 1,000 between 1980 and 2000, but during the same period, the gap between black and white mortality rates has widened.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2004 saw 13.6 black infant deaths for every 1,000 births, compared with rates of 5.7 per 1,000 among white infants, 5.5 per 1,000 among Hispanic babies and 4.5 per 1,000 among Asian infants.
The department of public health last week declared February 17th to 23rd 'Black Infant Health Week', as it attempts to reduce the gap between infant mortality rates in different ethnic communities.
It said that the risk of black infant mortality was increased because of greater incidence of low birth weight and other factors, including respiratory distress and sudden infant death syndrome. These are influenced by lifestyle habits, social factors and access to health care.
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