Factors affecting infant mortality rates. evidence from cross-sectional data

This paper empirically tests for factors affecting infant mortality rates. Based on a cross-sectional model (covering 117 countries for the year 1993) that corrects for heteroscedasticity, the results show that fertility rate s, female participation in the labour force, per capita GNP, and female lit eracy rates significantly affect infant mortality rates. Surprisingly, gove rnment expenditure on health-care, as a percentage of GNP, does not play a major role in determining infant mortality rates.