Ursache&Muntele 2019

Factorial Analysis of the Dynamics of Infant Mortality in Romania (2001-2017). Case Study: Iaşi County

Simona Andreea Ursache, Ionel Muntele

Article information

Abstract

Beside a host of societal changes specific to the current century, ever-visible discrepancies regarding the standard of living, access to medical services, and education, Romania is also witnessing various issues such as increased population mobility, demographic ageing and a decline in births. Demographic transformations require the urgent elaboration of strategies and policies aimed to decrease the significant social and economic consequences they engender, such as the reduction of the labour force, the sustainability of the pension system, the health insurance system, etc. What is more, the protection of life should be a priority on Romania’s agenda, given that the birth rate and general fertility are constantly decreasing. In our study we intend to carry out a factorial analysis of the dynamics of infant mortality, one of the most expressive demographic indicators of the vulnerability of human communities, between 2001 and 2017, covering the pre-adherence period to the European Community, the crisis and post-crisis period, spurred by the fact that our country still has high values compared to the European average. From a methodological point of view, both the general trends will be analysed at the level of the administrative units of NUTS3 type and the specific trends will be observed at the level of Iaşi county, focusing on the way in which the ethnic and confessional structure, the standard of living, the level of schooling and access to sanitation services influences infant mortality. The qualitative multiscalar analysis partially confirms the initial hypotheses.

Keywords: infant mortality, socio-demographic indicators, Iaşi county, medical services, standard of living, factor analysis

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