Social Factors Associated with Child Mortality in High Mortality Areas of Rural Tanzania: Analysis of Interviews with Women in Villages of Central and Southeast Mainland and Zanzibar

ResponsesChild mortality fromMortality 328Tanzania women in the LindiRegions regionLindi region (MchingaMchinga), DodomaDodoma (MajelekoMajeleko), and ZanzibarZanzibar (ChaaniChaani) were analyzed against child mortalityChild mortality with cross-tabulation, correlation, and logistic regression. In all three villagesVillage, nearly half (48, 42, 47%) of the women, particularly older women, had lost a child. This study confirmed that educationEducation, information, and birthBirth at a health facilityHealth facility contributed to child survival. Food sharingFood sharing for children improved child survival, but receiving financialfinancial assistance for children’s medicine in MchingaMchinga indicated that children were already at risk. In MajelekoMajeleko, the quality of children’s foodFood and major crops/foodsFood associated with socioeconomicSocioeconomic differences affected child survival. Using sorghumSorghum as children’s foodFood was beneficial in MchingaMchinga, although it was not used as such in MajelekoMajeleko. Larger householdhouseholds were associated with child death in agropastoralagropastoral MajelekoMajeleko but not in ZanzibarZanzibar. In MchingaMchinga, householdhouseholds with more women had increased risk, but women making decisiondecisions regarding children’s sicknesssickness was beneficial. The results reinforced ongoing policies ensuring maternalmaternal educationEducation and women’s capabilitiesCapabilities. Food securityFood security and socioeconomicSocioeconomic capacity influenced child survival and may require external assistanceassistance; however, the community utilization of available resources, e.g., sorghumSorghum, is also possible. Policies to nurture mutual assistanceMutual assistance are important, although not functioning for medicalmedical fees.