VIETNAMESE INFANT AND CHILDHOOD MORTALITY IN RELATION TO THE VIETNAM-WAR

Objectives. There is obvious potential for war to adversely affect inf ant and childhood mortality through direct trauma and disruption of th e societal infrastructure. This study examined trends in Vietnam throu gh the period of the war. Methods. The 1988 Vietnam Demographic and He alth Survey collected data on reproductive history and family planning from 4172 women aged 15 through 49 years in 12 selected provinces of Vietnam. The 13 137 births and 737 deaths to children younger than age 6 reported by the respondents were analyzed. Results. For the country as a whole, infant and childhood mortality dropped by 30% to 80% from the prewar period to the wartime period and was stable thereafter. In provinces in which the war was most intense, mortality did not declin e from the prewar period to the wartime period but declined after the war, consistent with an adverse effect during the wartime period. Conc lusions. The data are limited by assignment of birth location on the b asis of mother's current residence and by inadequate information on ar eas of war activity. Nonetheless, the data do not indicate a widesprea d, sizable adverse effect of the war on national infant and childhood mortality in Vietnam but suggest detrimental effects in selected provi nces.