CHILD
MORTALITY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: CHALLENGES AND POLICY OPTIONS
Abstract: The objective of this study is to understand determinants of mortality rates of children under the age of five years in developing countries. Methodology: The study uses secondary data to investigate the relationship between under-five mortality rates and such socioeconomic variables as fertility, literacy, immunization, access to clean drinking water, HIV/AIDS prevalence, and human and material resources using linear regression analysis. Results: show that Wwhile most of these variables have a significant relationship with under-five mortality rate, the proportion of doctors for every 100,000 population, and health expenditure per capita have an insignificant predictive value. Conclusion: Reducing child mortality rates requires multiple intervention strategies, such as access to safe drinking water, improvement in education opportunities, family planning, and tackling HIV/AIDS.