Trends and distribution patterns of infant mortality and maternal HIV positivity in South Africa: A decade review (2007-2016)

Background. The infant mortality rate (IMR) (24 per 1 000 live births) remains high in South Africa (SA), well above the recommended sustainable development goal (SDG) 3 of 12 deaths per 1 000 live births. High infant mortality is a poor indicator of the health of a population and will hamper attainment of the SDGs. Objectives. To investigate the trends and distribution patterns of IMR between 2007 and 2016 and its association with HIV-positive pregnant mothers in SA. Methods. This study used a cross-sectional study design by analysing secondary data on infant mortality from the 2007 and 2016 Statistics South Africa Community Surveys (CSs), as well as data from the 2007 National Antenatal Sentinel HIV and Syphilis Prevalence Survey. (Antenatal HIV Sentinel Survey - ANCHSS). Line charts with descriptive statistics were used to detail trends in IMRs, and multiple logistic regression models were used to identify risk factors for infant mortality in the 2007 and 2016 CS datasets. Spearman's rank-order correlation (rho) was used to correlate infant mortality with data from the 2007 ANCHSS. All analyses were performed with Stata version 16.0. Results. A total sample of 87 805, comprising 43 922 males and 43 883 females, was included in the analysis. The results revealed a decline in IMR from 55 deaths per 1 000 live births in 2007 to 32 in 2016. Overall, there was a significant decrease in the mortality rate from 2007 to 2016. The infant mortality proportions by province showed KwaZulu-Natal Province having the highest IMR (17.5 deaths per 1 000 live births in 2007 and 6.3 in 2016). Males had a higher IMR (28 deaths per 1 000 live births in 2007 and 17.7 in 2016) compared with females at 26.7 deaths per 1 000 live births in 2007 and 13.8 in 2016. IMR data from the 2007 CS was correlated with the 2007 ANCHSS (28% HIV prevalence in 2007), using Spearman's rank-order correlation, which showed a moderate correlation of 0.58 (p<0.001). Conclusions. The study findings showed a reduction in the trends of infant mortality between 2007 and 2016 in SA; despite the reduction, health inequalities persist. There is a correlation evident between maternal HIV prevalence and IMR in SA. We recommend the use of disability-adjusted life expectancy in SA to measure population health and introduce robust data sets that can better inform policy.