Report: Wide racial disparities in infant mortality persist in Ohio

Infant mortality remains a major concern in Ohio as a recent study shows that the disparity between white and Black babies has widened (Source: “Report: In Ohio, Black infants 2.4 times more likely to die compared to white infants,” Cleveland Plain Dealer, Sept. 19).
 
“While other states have made significant strides in reducing infant mortality and addressing disparities in birth outcomes, progress in Ohio has stagnated,” states a report by Groundwork Ohio, a nonprofit that focuses on policy that impacts children.
 
In 2022, the most recent year of data in the report, Ohio’s overall infant mortality rate was 7.1 per 1,000 births. When it came to white babies, the most recent data showed the infant mortality rate to be 5.7 in 2022. Since 2012, that rate has been consistently below state and national averages.
 
The study found that the mortality rate for Black infants was 13.4 per 1,000 births in 2022, nearly twice the state average, making them 2.4 times more likely to die compared to white infants. That compares to a disparity rate of 2.2 in 2012. The Black mortality rate was 13.9 in 2012 and got as high as 15.6 in 2017.
 
“The time has come for a renewed commitment to Ohio’s mothers and babies. We must move beyond simply measuring activity and focus on outcomes,” the report concludes.