Source: Health Policy Institute of Ohio
The overall infant mortality rate in Ohio and the United States has declined in the past decade, but a new federal report shows that wide racial disparities persist.
According to data recently released by the National Center for Health Statistics, Ohio’s infant mortality rate of 13.46 deaths for every 1,000 live births to black mothers from 2013-15 was worse than all states except Wisconsin. Ohio’s black infant mortality rate is more than double the state’s infant-mortality rate of 5.76 for babies born to white mothers during the same period.
Senate Bill 332 required the Legislative Service Commission (LSC) to contract with a nonprofit organization to issue a report regarding the social determinants of infant mortality, and LSC contracted with the Health Policy Institute of Ohio (HPIO) to do so. The final report titled, A New Approach to Reduce Infant Mortality and Achieve Equity, was developed with guidance from over 100 Ohio stakeholders. It found that improving social and economic conditions such as housing, transportation, education, and employment opportunities, could help Ohio make faster progress in reducing the number of babies dying before their first birthday.
View the full report, a 2-page snapshot, a 16-page executive summary, and additional background information about the project.