A striking gap between deaths of Black, white babies plagues the South - Salisbury Post salisburypost.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from salisburypost.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Infant mortality rates across the South are by far the worst in the U.S. A look at South Carolina where multimillion-dollar programs aimed at improving rates over the past 10 years have failed to move the needle drives home the challenge of finding solutions.
By 2030, the federal government wants infant mortality to fall to 5 or fewer deaths per 1,000 live births. According to annual data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 states have already met or surpassed that goal, including Nevada, New York, and California. But none of those states are in the South, where infant mortality is by far the highest in the country, with Mississippi’s rate of 8.12 deaths per 1,000 live births ranking worst.
Infant mortality rates across the South are by far the worst in the U.S. A look at South Carolina where multimillion-dollar programs aimed at improving rates over the past 10 years have failed to move the needle drives home the challenge of finding solutions, especially in rural communities.