Patterns of amenable child mortality over time in 34 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): evidence from a 15-year time trend analysis (2001–2015)

Objectives To analyse the trends of amenable mortality rates (AMRs) in children over the period 2001–2015. Design Time trend analysis. Setting Thirty-four member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Participants Midyear estimates of the resident population aged ≤14 years. Primary and secondary outcome measures Using data from the WHO Mortality Database and Nolte and McKee’s list, AMRs were calculated as the annual number of deaths over the population/100 000 inhabitants. The rates were stratified by age groups ( Results There was a significant decline in children’s AMRs in the Conclusions The low decline in amenable mortality rates for children aged ≥1 year, the large variation in amenable mortality rates across countries and the insufficient success in reducing mortality from all causes suggest that the heath system should increase its efforts to enhance child survival. Promoting models of comanagement between primary care and subspecialty services, encouraging high-quality healthcare and knowledge, financing universal access to healthcare and adopting best practice guidelines might help reduce amenable child mortality.