1/2007Infant mortality as an indicator of level and quality of life and social and civilisation development

DOROTA JOŁKIEWICZ (Zakład Socjologii, Międzyuczelniana Katedra Nauk Humanistycznych Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Łodzi, Kierownik Katedry: prof. dr hab. Mieczysław Gałuszka)

Summary
Infant mortality is not only medical matter but demographic and social problem as well. It is a good indicator of level and quality of society life. There are both medical and non-medical (cultural, social, historical) causes of infants deaths presented in the article. Specific vocabulary, legal regulations and the main strategies of national Perinatal Care Improvement Programme launched in 1995 in Poland are also recalled. Infant mortality rates in Poland have been analysed since 1960–2003, including comparison between urban and rural area. Moreover, important historical facts that (in author’s opinion) could have influence on the conditions and quality of Polish society life, thus also on infant mortality rates are presented in the article. The most essential and crucial conclusions refer to decreasing number of infants deaths in Poland. Higher infants mortality rates in cities, despite better medical care and life conditions than in villages, seems to be the most alarming problem.

Key words: mortality, infant mortality, perinatology, social conditions, sanitation