Factors Determining Neonatal Mortality in Kenya

Abstract

Every single region on earth has had an upsurge of the share of under-five deaths arising during the neonatal period. In Kenya, most of the previous studies conducted have largely focused on infant and under-five mortality. For the country to realize a decline of new-born deaths, a clear understanding of factors influencing neonatal mortality to guide in the design of evidence-based resolutions is inevitable. This study analyzed the 2014 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey data; it examined neonatal deaths that occurred among the 20,964 children born in the last 5 years prior to the survey. Three levels of analysis, namely; univariate, bivariate and multivariate techniques were performed to investigate factors determining neonatal mortality. At multivariate level, logistic regression model was used to assess the simultaneous effects of the variables since the dependent variable is dichotomous (binary) and independent variables are either continuous or categorical. The study found age of mother at first birth; birth order, interval and size of the neonate; ANC visits; place of delivery; household wealth and region of residence to be significantly associated with neonatal deaths. Interventions aimed at reducing neonatal deaths should address the demographic, healthcare and socioeconomic factors that significantly influence neonatal mortality in Kenya. Reproductive health policies and programs geared towards enlightening women on the neonatal survival should be intensified. Conduct enhanced data collection in future health related surveys to facilitate capture of critical neonatal proximate determinant variables especially for births whose survival status at the time of survey date were reported as dead.