A Study of the Cause of Death Among Children Under 5 Years in Babol Amirkola Children Hospital During 1993-1997

The objective of this study was to determine the distribution of the cause of death among children under 5 years with respect to the age and sex in Amirkola Children Hospital. The data of 536 child death was obtained during l 993-1997 on the basis of ultimate diagnosis in the death certificate using disease classification. The results shows that the most common cause of death in the neonatal period were infectious (33.6%), respiratory disease (28.2%), cardiovascular disease (8.7%) and congenital abnormality (7.4%), respectively. But for children with age I month to 5 years, the most common cause of death were infectious (41.7%), cardiovascular disease (14.4%) and blood disease (8.2%). We did not find any significant in the difference of distribution of cause of death between male and female, but it was significant in the two difference of distribution of cause of death between male and female, but it was significant in the two age group under study (P=0.000). With regard to high prevalence of the main cause of death, it is necessary to perform the more epidemiologic studies and to promote the health program in the prevention of infectious, respiratory and cardiovascular disease and to provide special therapeutic care unit for more reduction of under 5 mortality.