Memphis, Tennessee has same rate as many third world countries
by Vanessa Brunner, PIC Current Contributor
It’s hard to imagine infant mortality being a serious issue in the United States. For a nation renowned for its advances in health care and medicine, it would seem like an issue of infant death would’ve been resolved through hospital technology and medical care.
Courtesy of Manon dort on Flickr Creative Commons
However, in parts of our country, the number of infant deaths is shameful.
According to ABC News, Shelby County, Tennessee (which includes the city of Memphis) was found to have the highest infant mortality rate out of any other major city in the nation, with statistics citing that a baby dies every 43 hours. North Memphis had a higher infant mortality rate than many third world countries.
The children most at risk tend to come from parents who live in poverty stricken parts of town, where many large black populations reside. “Wherever there is a high concentration of Afro-Americans—Washington, DC, Memphis, Tennessee, New Orleans, you name it—there is a higher infant mortality rate,” said Dr. Sheldon Korones, founder of the neonatal unit in Memphis.
More than an issue of racism, this trend is evidence of the social injustices faced by many African American communities in the United States. When compounded, the lack of services can lead to serious issues, such as infant mortality.
These parents are often younger, low income mothers who have little or no access to health services. Since many are without health insurance, or even a car, getting to a health clinic or picking up medicine is often not an option.
The combination of youth and poverty in these parents make them the group at highest risk for premature birth, which is the primary medical cause of infant mortality. Also, the physical and emotional strain of living in an inner city community can lead to health complications, especially during pregnancy, all of which can lead to infant death.
Out of the 23 richest and most industrialized nations in the world, the United States has the highest infant mortality (or death) rate, according to the Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook. Out of a total list of 222 countries, updated on August 21 by the CIA, the United States falls at number 180, below all third world countries, but above all European countries.
For a guide to American Health Care, please see our previous posts:
Know Your Options: A Guide to American Health Care Part I
Know Your Options: A Guide to American Health Care Part II
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