Child mortality & child-abuse-related-deaths in Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Estonia, FRY Macedonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia compared to Western comparators USA and UK (1988-90 to 2012-14).

Abstract

Child-abuse-related deaths (CARD) and child mortality rates (CMR) are important issues in every culture. This paper examines both CARD and CMR in seventeen former communist countries (FCCs) since the end of the Russian hegemony, with two Western comparator countries: the USA and the UK. World Health Organisation CARD and CMR data (birth to four years) between 1988–90 and 2012–14 have been extrapo- lated. Chi-square tests compare each FCC mortality outcome with the Western com- parators over the period. To avoid under-reporting of CARD, undetermined deaths are also analysed and combined with confirmed CARD to provide a maximum esti- mate of abuse-related deaths. Combined CARD fell substantially in all FCCs, on aver- age by 66 per cent. Russia had the least successful reduction (–25 per cent). Combined CARD fell significantly more in sixteen FCCs than in the USA. CMR in FCCs fell on aver- age by 66 per cent over the period. Moldova, Russia and FRY Macedonia have the highest current CMR. Thirteen FCCs had significantly greater CMR reductions than the Western comparators. All but one FCCs met the UN millennium 2 per cent per annum reduction target for CMR but not the USA and Bulgaria. Most FCCs have made sub- stantial improvements in reducing CARD and CMR. Country-specific research is required to investigate the major differences between FCCs and Western comparator outcomes.