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Sussex County Public Health Profile Report

Infant Mortality Rate: Deaths per 1,000 Live Births, 2016-2020

  • Sussex
    3.3
    95% Confidence Interval (1.9 - 4.8)
    State
    4.2
    U.S.
    5.7
  • Sussex Compared to State

    gauge ranking
    Description of Gauge

    Description of the Gauge

    This graphic is based on the county data to the left. It compares the county value of this indicator to the state overall value.
    • Excellent = The county's value on this indicator is BETTER than the state value, and the difference IS statistically significant.
    • Watch = The county's value is BETTER than state value, but the difference IS NOT statistically significant.
    • Improvement Needed = The county's value on this indicator is WORSE than the state value, but the difference IS NOT statistically significant.
    • Reason for Concern = The county's value on this indicator is WORSE than the state value, and the difference IS statistically significant.

    The county value is considered statistically significantly different from the state value if the state value is outside the range of the county's 95% confidence interval. If the county's data or 95% confidence interval information is not available, a blank gauge image will be displayed with the message, "missing information."
    NOTE: The labels used on the gauge graphic are meant to describe the county's status in plain language. The placement of the gauge needle is based solely on the statistical difference between the county and state values. When selecting priority health issues to work on, a county should take into account additional factors such as how much improvement could be made, the U.S. value, the statistical stability of the county number, the severity of the health condition, and whether the difference is clinically significant.

Why Is This Important?

The infant death rate is a critical measure of a population's health and a worldwide indicator of health status and social well-being.

How Are We Doing?

The infant mortality rate in New Jersey has been generally decreasing since the early 1900s. However, the rate varies widely across the state and by several maternal and infant characteristics. The rate among Blacks is more than triple the rate among Whites and Asians and more than double the rate among Hispanics. Regardless of age, unmarried mothers have higher rates than those of married mothers. Twin and triplet, low birth weight, and preterm infants are much more likely to die than singleton, normal birth weight, and full term infants, respectively. Two-thirds of infant deaths occur in the neonatal period (deaths at less than 28 days of age). The leading causes of infant death are congenital anomalies and short gestation/low birth weight. The [https://www.nj.gov/health/chs/hnj2020/topics/maternal-child-health.shtml Healthy New Jersey 2020] targets for the total population, Hispanics, and Asians had been met by mid-decade, so new targets were assigned.

What Is Being Done?

The [http://www.nj.gov/health/fhs/ Division of Family Health Services] in the New Jersey Department of Health administers several programs aimed at improving children's health, including reducing infant mortality. In an effort to improve health outcomes among Black infants and mothers in New Jersey, six maternal and child health agencies across the state were awarded $4.3 million in grant funding in July, 2018, as part of the Department of Health's "[https://nj.gov/health/news/2018/approved/20180711a.shtml Healthy Women, Healthy Families]" initiative. In addition to these funds, the Department devoted $450,000 to implement a doula pilot program in municipalities with high Black IMRs. [https://nj.gov/governor/admin/fl/nurturenj.shtml Nurture NJ] is a multifaceted initiative to eliminate racial disparities in birth outcomes.

Healthy People Objective MICH-1.3:

All infant deaths (within 1 year)
U.S. Target: 6.0 infant deaths per 1,000 live births
State Target: 4.8 infant deaths per 1,000 live births

Note

** Number of deaths too small to calculate a reliable rate.

Data Sources

Birth Certificate Database, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, New Jersey Department of Health   Linked Infant Death-Birth Database, Center for Health Statistics, New Jersey Department of Health  

Measure Description for Infant Mortality Rate

Definition: Rate of death occurring under 1 year of age in a given year per 1,000 live births in the same year
Numerator: Number of resident deaths occurring under 1 year of age in a given year
Denominator: Number of live births to resident mothers in the same year

Indicator Profile Report

Infant Mortality Rate (exits this report)

Date Content Last Updated

12/30/2022
The information provided above is from the Department of Health's NJSHAD web site (https://nj.gov/health/shad). The information published on this website may be reproduced without permission. Please use the following citation: " Retrieved Thu, 28 March 2024 13:13:33 from Department of Health, New Jersey State Health Assessment Data Web site: https://nj.gov/health/shad ".

Content updated: no date