The impact of sociodemographic, health status and resources, macroeconomic, and environmental factors on infant mortality rates in Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to study the impact of sociodemographic (SD), health status and resources (HSR), macroeconomic (ME), and Environmental (EV) factors on the infant mortality rate (IMR) in Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and from 1990 to 2022.

DESIGN

A retrospective time-series study employing yearly data was conducted. A generalized least squares model was utilized to construct an exploratory model of IMR determinants for each country.

RESULTS

In SD, the risk of IMR may be increased with a higher crude birth rate, adolescent fertility rate, and married women percentage. In HSR, immunization coverage shows a significant effect in preventing neonatal diseases and reducing IMR. In ME, the effect of parents' employment seems contradicted among the three countries. In EV, greenhouse emissions have also had contradictory effects among the three countries, suggesting a complex relationship with IMR. Some were consistent with global findings, whereas others contradicted the prevailing narrative.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the need for tailored public health interventions addressing socio-demographic, healthcare, and environmental contexts to effectively reduce IMR and enhance infant health outcomes.