JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

This study aims to identify factors contributing to the infant mortality rate (IMR) in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman by establishing an interpretative framework to examine the influence of sociodemographic (SD), macroeconomics (ME), health status and resources (HSR), and environmental (EN) factors. A retrospective study collected annual time-series data (1990 to 2022) for Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman. To counterbalance the time-series effects on both IMR and explanatory factors, the generalized least squares (GLS) regression analysis based on the Cochrane-Orcutt procedure with a fixed effect model was used. GLS shows that the total fertility rate has a strong effect on IMR among the three countries (β=3.12, p<0.05) for Oman, (β=1.54, p<0.05) for Kuwait, and (β=1.84, p<0.05) for Bahrain. HSR with inconsistent impact on the IMR had a positive effect (β=1.11, p<0.05) for Oman and a negative effect (β=0.017, p<0.05) for Kuwait. ME as female unemployment was significant in decreasing IMR only for Kuwait (β=0.93, p<0.05). GDP per capita is significant only for Bahrain (β=0.67, p<0.05). EN included CO2 emissions that negatively impacted Oman IMR (β= 0.93, p<0.05), and N2O positively affected Bahrain IMR (β=1.52, p<0.05). This study indicated the substantial effects of sociodemographic, health status and resources, macroeconomics, and environment on the IMR in three GCC countries. Socioeconomic conditions and health-related factors focusing on females' educational level, therefore regulating the fertility rate and the level of unemployment, were pointed out as the main determinants of infant mortality.