title: Effects of employment and education on preterm and full-term infant mortality in Korea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The infant mortality rate is a sensitive and commonly used indicator of the socio-economic status of a population. Generally, studies investigating the relationship between infant mortality and socio-economic status have focused on full-term infants in Western populations. This study examined the effects of education level and employment status on full-term and preterm infant mortality in Korea. Data were collected from the National Birth Registration Database and merged with data from the National Death Certification Database.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 1,316,184 singleton births registered in Korea's National Birth Registration Database between January 2004 and December 2006 were included in the study. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Paternal and maternal education levels were inversely related to infant mortality in preterm and full-term infants following multivariate adjusted logistic models. Parental employment status was not associated with infant mortality in full-term infants, but was associated with infant mortality in preterm infants, after adjusting for place of birth, gender, marital status, paternal age, maternal age and parity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low paternal and maternal education levels were found to be associated with infant mortality in both full-term and preterm infants. Low parental employment status was found to be associated with infant mortality in preterm infants but not in full-term infants. In order to reduce inequalities in infant mortality, public health interventions should focus on providing equal access to education.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Korea Cancer Centre Hospital, Seoul, South Korea. Electronic address: youngjin1224@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Y-J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: S-H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. Electronic address: smpark.snuh@gmail.com.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: H-S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: J-Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D047929:Term Birth; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Full-term; Infant mortality; Preterm