To provide a context for the pattern observed in Canada, changes in infant mortality in other countries were also examined. The study found that, among the provinces and territories, improvements in infant mortality between the 1960s and 1990s have been such that the differences in rates have diminished, that is, the jurisdictions with the highest rates in the 1960s have improved the most. Disparities in infant mortality have also been reduced among socioeconomic groups. This narrowing of the gap in Canada contrasts with the international picture, where the opposite has occurred, resulting in increasing disparities in infant mortality between industrialized countries and other countries. The trends in Canada are likely attributable to several factors, including universal access to health services and increased maternal education levels.
Infant mortality refers to the death of a live born baby within the first year of life.
This rate is often used as a general measure of a country's health and socioeconomic development. The results of this study provide important and timely information on trends and patterns in health status in Canada, in an international context. They draw attention to the likely influence of universal social programs such as access to health services, and primary and secondary education, on reducing health and socioeconomic disparities. This report, which helps us to understand the trends in infant mortality in Canada, demonstrates the value of national health surveillance and its capacity to contribute to health policy discussions. The CPSS is a program of the Bureau of Reproductive and Child Health, Health Canada, in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments, health professional organizations, advocacy groups and university-based researchers.