Health Disparities Lead to Higher Latino Infant Mortality

Share On Social!

According to the Indiana Department of Health, seven out of every 1,000 infants born will not see their first birthday. The state is above the national average for infant deaths and it also has higher rates of pre-term births and prenatal smoking.

Indiana is also lower than the national average among pregnant women who receive prenatal care in the first trimester of their pregnancy. The rate is especially high among minorities, including Latinos.

“What we see in Indiana is that we can really do well ensuring prenatal care and healthy births in a select group of women,” said Dr. Jen Walthall, deputy health commissioner for the Indiana State Health Department. “Our infant mortality rate … is much better than the national average.”

Diseases that can lead to pre-term labor, such as diabetes, are more common among minorities, including Latinos. The Latino rate of infant mortality is significantly higher than the rate for whites. Lack of access to quality, affordable healthcare is a barrier for many of Indiana’s Latinos and is one of the reasons for the current problem.

“We have a huge health disparity gap to the point that if we could fix that we could solve the problem entirely,” said Walthall. “Your outcome should not be based on who you are or where you live.”

The state has adopted the Healthy Indiana Plan 2.0 this year, in which pregnant women are covered for the duration of their pregnancy and for a certain amount of time after the birth of their child.