The contexts of mortality in Nigeria.

Discusses the mortality situation in Nigeria since the early 20th century and identifies current differentials in mortality. Infant mortality in the 1930s was about 300 per 1000 and the crude death rate at 40 to 50 per 1000 in the 1930s. At the end of the 70s these figures had fallen to 180 and 23 per 1000 respectively. Expectation of life at birth in the most recent period has been estimated at 45 years. Differentials in mortality are found according to geographic residential sexual and socioeconomic factors. Mortality is generally higher in the northern than the southern states largely due to greater socioeconomic development in the south. The usual urban-rural differences observed elsewhere are in evidence in Nigeria regardless of other geographical distinctions. Mortality differentials by sex have been found to be insignificant in a number of studies which otherwise showed mixed results. Households with higher socioeconomic status experience lower mortality. The major causes of death as revealed by hospital records are largely preventable infectious and parasitic diseases. Effects of the high mortality on society are noted. (authors modified) (summaries in ENG FRE ITA)