Age Distribution of All-Cause Mortality Among Children Younger Than 5 Years in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Publication information:
Karlsson O, Kim R, Hasman A, al.
Age Distribution of All-Cause Mortality Among Children Younger Than 5 Years in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. JAMA Network Open. 2022;5(5):e2212692.
Abstract
Question
What share of deaths among children younger than 5 years occur before 2 years of age in low- and middle-income countries?
Findings
In this cross-sectional study of 2 827 515 children younger than 5 years from 77 countries, a large majority (81.5%) of deaths occurred before 2 years of age in all countries, among boys and girls, and in the households with the highest and lowest living standards.
Meaning
These findings suggest that coverage of potentially life-saving interventions should be ensured for children younger than 2 years of age in low- and middle-income countries.