A study on social determinants of infant mortality in Malaysia

Materials and methods Statistical analysis of infant mortality and social determinants data using correlations, factor analysis and multiple regressions were undertaken in order to examine the collective influence of a range of social determinants indices on variations observed in infant mortality. Determinants of infant mortality in Malaysia tested in this study include GDP per capita, poverty rate, mean income of bottom 40% income earner, Gini coefficient, ratio of top 20% income: to bottom 40% income, population per doctor ratio, hospital bed per population ratio, car ownership per population, computer ownership per population, urbanization rate, percentage living in single housing and flats, women education and social development index.