Economic growth and infant mortality: a space-time analysis in Colombia

This paper explores the relationship between the mortality of children between 1 and 5 years old and GDP per capita in Colombia from 2007 to 2018. Bivariate choropleth maps were used in order to represent the association between infant health and economic performance at a spatial level. Outcomes show that the interaction between infant health variables and economic growth is heterogeneous, even so, there are regional and inter-departmental gaps that must be addressed. In addition, it was observed that disparities found persist in time, although there is a general reduction in infant mortality. It is recommended to direct public policies to increase the equipment in hospital facilities for maternal and childcare, particularly in places where population requires it the most; expand access to hospitals in territories where attention is needed and guarantee the health service quality for people enrolled in the subsidized regime, especially in the poorest departments of the country.