KDHE

TOPEKA – “We are excited to report that we had the lowest ever recorded infant mortality rate in the history of the state in 2015 and we have maintained that rate again in 2016,” said KDHE Secretary Mosier, MD, MBA, FACS. The state recorded 223 resident infant deaths in 2016 the lowest number ever recorded. The infant mortality rate for the state was 5.9 infants per 1,000 live births. This was unchanged from the 2015 infant mortality rate. A decline in the number of births to Kansas resident women was responsible for the unchanged rate. Kansas recorded 38,048 resident births, a 2.8 percent decrease from the 39,126 births in 2015.

The long term trends for White non-Hispanic and Black non-Hispanic infant mortality rates show a decline. The Black non-Hispanic infant mortality rate in 2016 was 15.2 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, almost three times higher (2.9) than the White non-Hispanic infant mortality rate of 5.2. The infant mortality rate for Hispanic origin was 5.1 per 1,000 live births.

KDHE continues to collaborate with community providers and organizations on several key initiatives to continue the progress made in decreasing cases of infant death and disparities in infant mortality. Initiatives include the Infant Mortality Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network (IM CoIIN) and reducing the state’s early elective delivery rate.

To learn more about these initiatives and others please visit our website at www.kdheks.gov/bfh. To review statistics visit www.kdheks.gov/phi.