Ohio infant mortality rate worsens, racial disparities persist

New statistics from the Ohio Department of Health released this week indicate that the child mortality rate in Ohio increased from 7.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2010 to 7.9 in 2011, and the figures for black infants remain much worse (Source: "Black-infant deaths worst of bad news," Columbus Dispatch, Nov. 29, 2012).

The figures were released Tuesday at the state's first summit aimed at reducing infant mortality in Ohio, which ranks 11th worst in the nation. The death rate for black infants is 15.8 per 1,000 live births last year, up from 15.5 the year before.

“The disparity between us and the rest of the nation is getting worse," said Dr. Arthur James, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center, who spoke to about 900 attendees at the Columbus summit.

Infant mortality is a measure of the number of infants who do not reach their first birthday. Ohio had 1,088 infant deaths in 2011.