Sam Shapiro

Role of preventive medicine in reduction of infant and perinatal mortality.

ALTHOUGH the infant and perinatal morILXtality rate is no longer as sensitive an index of socioeconomic conditions in the United States as it was several decades ago, it still reflects important gradients in the population relating to environmental factors and to the availability and quality of medical care. Whatever the balance of factors contributing to an areas standard of maternal and child health, the interrelationships of social, cultural, psychological, and biological influences would seemn to be paramount (1).

Infant, Perinatal, Maternal and Childhood Mortality in the United States.

3 of the 4 major sections of this monograph deal with infant and perinatal mortality maternal mortality and childhood mortality. Attention in each section is initially focused on the circumstances leading to the current situation and the extent to which some of the parameters of infants maternal and childhood mortality have changed over the years. Long- and short-term trends and the basic variables of cause of death sex of child race and geography are discussed. In the case of infant mortality consideration is given to addition risk factors such as age of mother birth order and prior pregnancy history of the mother. Other components of pregnancy loss and damage among the offspring are also discussed. Most of the information presented has been derived from national vital statistics. The 4th section of the monograph reviews health services medical and paramedical personnel facilities and medical care costs in the United States with particular focus on their relation to obstetrical and pediatric services.

NOTES ON TABLES

GDP Gross Domestic Product NNI Net National Income GDS Gross Domestic Savings NNP Net National Product GFCE Government Final Consumption Expenditure NPISH Non-profit Institutions Serving Households GFCF Gross Fixed Capital Formation NSDP Net State Domestic Product GNDI Gross National Domestic Income NSO National Statistical Office GNI Gross National Income NSVA Net State Value Added GNP Gross National Product NVA Net value Added GVA Gross Value Added PFCE Private Final Consumption Expenditure NDCF Net Domestic Capital Formation ROW Rest of the World NDP Net Domestic Product SNVA State Net Value Added NDS Net Domestic Savings UTI Unit Trust of India