Child mortality in a rural Javanese village: a prospective study.

Mortality in the first two years of life was studied in a cohort of 510 children born in a rural Javanese village. Lower risk of death was associated with younger maternal age, maternal schooling, ownership of a well, smaller sibship, longer gap between child and next oldest sibling and, in particular, with good nutritional status. Diarrhoea, pneumonia and immunizable diseases accounted for over half the deaths, with malnutrition contributing to most. A primary health care programme focusing on malnutrition, immunization and early treatment for diarrhoea and pneumonia could reduce mortality by half or more in this population.