A population-based registry study of infant mortality in the Arctic: Greenland and Denmark, 1973-1997.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to determine precise estimates of infant mortality rates and to describe overall trends in infant mortality in Greenland and Denmark from 1973 to 1997.


METHODS
We analyzed data from population-based registries of all live-born infants in Greenland and Denmark to calculate infant mortality rates from 1973 to 1997.


RESULTS
Between the periods of 1973-1977 and 1993-1997, neonatal mortality rates in Greenland declined from 20.9 per 1000 live-born infants to 15.7, and postneonatal mortality rates declined from 20.9 per 1000 to 5.9. Infant mortality rates were significantly higher in Greenland than in Denmark, and the excess mortality was uniformly distributed over all birthweight percentiles. In Greenland, the risk of infant death was significantly lower if the mother was born outside Greenland.


CONCLUSIONS
Postneonatal mortality rates in Greenland have decreased significantly during the past 25 years, but little progress has been made in decreasing neonatal mortality rates. Disparities exist among children with different maternal origins.
Department of Epidemiology Research, Danish Epidemiology Science Centre, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark. jfr@ssi.dk
Jeppe
J
Friborg
Anders
A
Koch
Flemming
F
Stenz
Jan
J
Wohlfahrt
Mads
M
Melbye
D001110:Arctic Regions / Q000453:epidemiology; D001722:Birth Order; D001724:Birth Weight; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D006116:Greenland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D004930:Inuit / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D012042:Registries; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data