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Show Infant Mortality by Race/Ethnicity Race-specific infant mortality rates for minorities are hard to interpret in Utah because of the relatively small population of these subgroups. Almost 94% of Utah is characterized as white; the other races combined make up the remaining 6%. (See Table 28). Smaller populations are more likely to have wider swings in rates from year to year. Three year averages are often used to try to mitigate this. National comparisons can also be useful. The comparison of white and black infant mortality rates for the U.S. show that blacks tend to have higher infant mortality rates than whites. National rates for other groups are not available. Infant mortality rates are often used as a measure of a population's general health. When these rates vary by race, as they do here, closer examination of health and social issues may be warranted. It is important to note the substantial disparity between infant mortality rates in the U.S. and the infant mortality rates in Utah. Table 28. Black/White Infant Mortality* Utah Utah U.S. U.S. Year White Black White Black 1980 10.4 25.5 11.0 21.4 1983 9.2 8.2 9.7 19.2 1986 8.5 8.2 8.9 18.0 1989 7.0 12.4 8.2 17.7 1990 7.4 13.0 in 17.0 1991 7.3 17.6 1992 6.0 6.9 16.8 1993 6.8 16.5 1994 5.8 16.5 6.6 15.8 1995 ~ 6.3 15.1 1996 ~ -- 6.1 14.7 1997 -- - 6.0 13.7 * Deaths per 1,000 Live Births. Utah rates are based on a three-year average. Figure 14 Table 29. Utah Infant Mortality by Race/Ethnicity' Year American Black White Hispanic Other Indian 1980-1982 10.9 25.5 10.4 ~ 7.1 1983-1985 10.2 8.2 9.2 ~ 8.6 1986-1988 11.2 8.2 8.5 9.2 5.9 1989-1991 9.5 12.4 7.0 8.5 7.8 1991-1992 12.7 16.8 6.9 8.3 6.8 *Deaths per 1,000 Live Births. Hispanic origin can be of any race. Note: Measuring health status is difficult for small populations where small differences in the number of deaths can have large effects on the rates. Table 29. Sources: Utah and U.S.: United States Bureau of the Census (1997). Statistical Abstract of the United States. 1997. (117th Ed.). Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 93. 30 -I Rate per 100,000 20 " Live Births 0 Utah Infant Mortality by Race American Indian Black White Hispanic Other ¦ 1980-1982 0131983-1985 D1986-1988 ? 1989-1991 ^1991-1992 72 |
