title: [Geographical and temporal trends in infant mortality in Italy and current limits of the routine data].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to compare trends in infant, neonatal and post-neonatal mortality in Italy from 1991 to 2005 both at the national level and among the three Italian large geographical macro-areas (North, Center, South-Islands).
  
  
  METHODS
  observational study based on routine data.
  
  
  METHODS
  the analysis was performed on the cohort of newborns (up to the first age of life) in Italy from 1991 to 2005.
  
  
  METHODS
  infant, neonatal and post-neonatal mortality rate calculated for 3-year and 5-year periods, relative risks, attributable fraction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  during the study period infant mortality rates significantly decreased from 7.72 to 3.91 per 1,000 births, neonatal mortality rates from 5.87 to 2.84 per 1,000 births, and postneonatal mortality rates from 1.85 to 1.08. Despite these significant reductions, important disparities persist in different geographical areas within Italy. In particular, rates appears to be much higher in the southern regions of the country: during the period 2001-2005 the excess of mortality in the South comparing with the North was 37%. Since 1998, following a change in legislation, individual matching of Certificates of Delivery Care (CedAP) and Death Certificates during the first year of life, at a national level, is not possible.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  during the period 1991-2005 Italy experienced significant infant mortality reduction, but important geographical disparities still remain. In order to investigate these disparities and the determinants of infant mortality in Italy, the lack of routine data could represent an important limit to conduct update epidemiologic studies.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di medicina e sanità pubblica, Alma Mater Studiorum, Università di Bologna, Italy. laura.dallolio@unibo.it
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dallolio
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Franchino
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pieri
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Raineri
authors.forename: Maria Pia
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Fantini
mesh_terms: D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D003625:Data Collection; D003644:Death Certificates; D005260:Female; D005568:Forms and Records Control / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D014798:Vital Statistics