SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS AFFECTING INFANT MORTALITY RATE IN ASSAM

Abstract: One of the most important indicator or index of socio-economic development of a country or region is infant and maternal mortality rate. It is generally observed that in a backward country both infant and maternal mortality rate is too high in comparison to that of a developed country. Specially infant mortality rate (IMR) serves as an excellent index of development as well as healthiness of a community. The issue of infant mortality is getting too much importance as most social scientists view that infant mortality rate is an excellent indicator of socio-economic development and hence the international and national government has intensified their efforts to reduce the IMR and to enhance the level of child survival. The infant mortality rate is effected by a large number of socio-demography and economic factors. The state Assam is economically a backward state and infant mortality rate is found to be higher in comparison to that of some other economically advanced states of India. So, an attempt has been made to find out the different socio-demography factors affecting the infant mortality rate in the state of Assam. Here in this paper an analysis regarding the IMR in Assam will be made highlighting the different factors affecting the infant mortality rate. Apart from this, the trend of IMR in the state of Assam will also be analysed for last few years. Thus, it has been tried to find out the different socio-demographic and economic factors affecting the infant mortality rate in the state of Assam and to make some humble suggestions to reduce the intensity of the factors affecting the IMR so that infant mortality can be reduced to a certain extend in the state of Assam