Infant mortality of the Czech population.

The main objective of the present diploma thesis is to evaluate the development and spatial differentiation of infant mortality of the Czech population. In the scope of the research, our intent is to focus on various factors that might influence infant mortality and the values of which are accessible in public databases. The first partial objective was to evaluate the development of infant mortality of the Czech population in the 20th century and at the beginning of the 21st century. The second partial objective was to delineate specifics of the development of infant mortality in connection with the development of related social and economic characteristics. The third partial objective was to analyse regional differences of infant mortality within the scope of the Czech Republic. Finally, the fourth partial objective was to provide the breakdown of infant mortality.In the framework of the thesis, the following hypotheses have been stipulated: H1: Infant mortality is steadily on the decrease, H2: In the Czech Republic, there exist regional differences in infant mortality, influenced by economic, social and environmental factors, H3: The structure of infant mortality gradually changes towards the shift of the highest level of infant mortality at the beginning of life.It was possible to confirm hypothesis H1, which was examined within a quantitative research, using the moving average method - base and chain indexes. Infant mortality has been on the decrease as early as since the beginning of the 20th century in the Czech territory. The reduction in infant mortality is affected by changes in prenatal and early neonatal mortality, which fact was contributed to by quality prenatal and neonatal diagnostics of endogen causes of mortality. Accordingly, the trend of reduction in infant mortality continues, specifically up to the value of 2.6 , which was, as the lowest value, recorded in the year 2012. Similarly, it was possible to confirm hypothesis H2, tested within a quantitative research, using factor and cluster analyses, which have showed differences in factors (stability of social relationships, education of women, quality of healthcare, economic activity of women and their marital status, nationality and unemployment of women) in the scope of individual districts. It was moreover possible to confirm hypothesis H3, evaluated within a quantitative research and processed by means of simple descriptive indicators and graphs. The proportion of neonatal mortality in infant mortality stands at the average value of 62% for the period of 12 years. In consequence, we may assume that the proportion of neonatal mortality (28 days after birth) in infant mortality will constantly have an above-the-average value in the future. Based on the breakdown of infant mortality, it has been ascertained that chiefly the highest values are reached by early neonatal mortality (0 - 6 days) and it has a decreasing trend for the period of 12 years, reaching the average value of 1.26. This finding also confirms hypothesis H3, for the reason that early neonatal mortality is the component of neonatal mortality that has held the above-the-average proportion of infant mortality.In conclusion, we have conducted a correlation analysis of infant mortality with factors generated by the factor analysis. This analysis confirmed unambiguously that infant mortality is affected chiefly by the stability of social relationships and education of women.The no less important conclusion of the present thesis is seen in the fact that in the future, the society and experts engaged in problems of infant mortality should be more interested in researching various factors that influence infant mortality from both the positive and negative aspects. Findings of this diploma thesis may serve in practice as a background for any demographic research concerned with infant mortality