Socio-Economic Factors of Child Mortality: Cross-Country Analysis

Reducing child mortality is a priority goal for sustainable development worldwide. To achieve this, a comprehensive assessment of the determinants of child mortality is needed. The objective of the study is to assess the socio-economic determinants of child (under the age of 5) mortality in different countries of the world. The study used independent variables rarely found in the scientific literature (such as corruption, environmental quality, share of rural population), analyzed the most relevant macro data, and divided the sample of countries into groups that are closest in geographical and economic position. An important conclusion of the work was that the impact of the economic situation of the country (the level of GDP per capita) on the infant mortality rate is much stronger than the effect of the actual expenditures on health care. To achieve positive dynamics in solving the problem, it is necessary not only to increase public spending on health care, but also to stimulate economic growth, reduce poverty and income inequality, and increase the level of female education.