ODH: Infant mortality rate reverses positive trend, ticks up in 2015

Ohio saw an uptick in its infant mortality rate last year, with black babies dying at a rate approaching three times that of whites, according to new data from the Ohio Department of Health (Source: “Ohio sees uptick in infant deaths, widening white-black gap,” Associated Press via Lima News, Nov. 16, 2016).

Ohio’s overall infant mortality rate rose to 7.2 deaths per 1,000 births last year, according to new numbers released Wednesday by ODH. That’s up from a rate of 6.8 deaths the year before, when the nation’s rate was 5.8 deaths.

ODH's medical director, Dr. Mary DiOrio, said the latest figures may not reflect recent community initiatives aimed at tackling the problem. She noted that the state’s rate has been trending downward for the past 10 years. Still, the bump in the rate and the widening gap between white and black infant deaths remains a concern, DiOrio said.

The data showed some bright spots in the Columbus and Canton areas, which saw declines in their infant mortality rates, particularly among black babies. The state has been working with hospitals, community groups, local health departments and others in nine urban areas (Cleveland/Cuyahoga County; Columbus/Franklin County; Cincinnati/Hamilton County; Dayton/Montgomery County; Toledo/Lucas County; Canton/Stark County; Akron/Summit County; Youngstown/Mahoning County; and Butler County) with high rates of infant deaths. Such partnerships seek to address factors that could lead to unhealthy pregnancies, such as a lack of access to food, health care, stable housing, transportation and other support.