America in Decline: A Baby Born in Parts of Ohio More Likely to Die Than One Born in North Korea or

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/economy/america-decline-baby-born-parts-ohio-more-likely-die-one-born-north-korea-or-gaza-strip

America in Decline: A Baby Born in Parts of Ohio More Likely to Die Than One Born in North Korea or the Gaza Strip


Infant mortality within a three-mile radius around one of the nation’s best children’s hospitals, in Cleveland, Ohio, is worse than that in some third-world countries, Dr. Michele Walsh, neonatology director of Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, claimed in a radio interview last week. The hospital anchors the relatively affluent University Circle neighborhood, home to Case Western Reserve University, on the east end of an otherwise pretty impoverished city. (Seventy percent of the infants that enter Walsh’s intensive care unit are on Medicaid.)

Infant mortality rates higher than those of countries like Japan or Sweden are one thing— several reports in recent years found the United States to have a slightly higher rate than many such peers—but Uzbekistan? The Gaza Strip? That would mean communities around the hospital far outstrip the national rate of 6.7 deaths per 1,000 live births. Understandably disturbed by the claim, Politifact Ohio confirmed it using a Case Western regional social and economic research database:

Infant mortality in the University Circle neighborhood … was slightly above 69 deaths per 1,000 live births. That exceeds the rate in countries that include, among others, Bangladesh, Haiti, Burma, Cameroon, Djibouti, Sudan, Kenya, Nepal, Pakistan, Rwanda, and Uganda.

The 69 deaths per 1,000 live births statistic is from 2009 only; taking a three-year average still yields 18.6 deaths, higher than many Caribbean and Eastern European countries. But here’s the real gut-punch: Looking within University Circle communities like Hough and Mount Pleasant, PolitiFact found “infant mortality rates above 27 per 1,000—worse than in North Korea, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Samoa, Maldives, or the Gaza Strip.”

[marmar]

1. Circling the drain.

nt

[Scuba]

2. K&R

[msanthrope]

3. This is an amazingly stupid and unscientific article.

Comparing infant mortality rates when you have not accounted for either neonate rates OR defined standards of care in both countries is unscientific.

For example...if a fetus is delivered at 24 weeks in North Korea, do you think it is calculated as a live birth, still birth or miscarriage? how is that patient cared for? until you know those facts, comparison against the CDC rates is pretty useless and stupid.

Further, wouldn't you expect infant mortality rates around one of the nation's leading children hospital's to be greater? where do you think sick children go?

[Godhumor]

4. thank you, was just about to post similar

And from a statistical point of view it is completely meaningless.As it already pointed out the rate dropped significantly when pushed to a 3 year average.

The 2009 number is also clouded by a ridiculously small sample for the neighborhood number. Only 43 births and 3 deaths for the entire year.

Furthermore, as you pointed out, it is one geographic location that, depending on how it is outfitted, is probably the go to place for emergency cases, which is not accounted for in the database used. An actual comparison would look at similar purpose hospitals serving similar populations and using comparable definitions for events.

This article is meaningless and Politifact did almost no real statistical work in analyzing the data. Alarmist article.

[msanthrope]

5. It's political woo. It's meant to convince people that we are at such

extremes...why would you bother voting???