Impact of socio-economic factors to infant and child mortality in Mtwara region, Tanzania

This study examined the Impact of Socio-Economic Factors such as marriage instability on infant and child mortality in Mtwara region. The extent to which these socio- economic factors operate through proximate determinants to bring the impact on infant and child mortality. The variable covered in the study were: mothers' education, access of water used in the household, meals taken per day, access of water in kilometers, access of water in minutes, age at first marriage, marital instability and out migration. Data on mortality and related variables were collected in a field survey conducted in Mtwara rural district in 2007. The main respondents were women in reproductive ages and the unit of analysis was the individual level. Bivariate and Multivariate analysis is used to identify variables which have a significant effect on infant and childhood mortality. Age at first marriage, meals taken per day, water used by the household, and marital status were found to have statistically significant effect on infant and child mortality. Mother's education, access of water in minutes, out- migration and access of water in kilometers had little significant effect on infant and child mortality. From those findings the study suggest that the Tanzania Government should improve economic and social condition in rural areas to reduce the level of infant and under-five mortality.