Computer based statistical study of cartography in mortality upto age of one year

Abstract

Present cartography procedures for quantitative indicators are arbitrary on choice of the number of categories in which a particular area is to be divided. The choice of initial cutoff and the choice of the width of each category is also arbitrary. To remove this arbitrariness and thus to introduce objectivity, we propose use of a statistical procedure called cluster analysis. This procedure is easy to use on a computer. We also propose using computer based maps. We use these methods on mortality indicators upto age of one year for major states of India to devise objective maps. The terminology of mortality indicators upto age of one year has been used by UNICEF document(1). The mortality indicators analysed are infant mortality rate, neonatal mortality rate, postneonatal mortality rate, perinatal mortality rate and still birth rate. Different indicators reveal different pictures. In this paper, we also propose an innovation to obtain an integrated picture by simultaneously considering all the four indicators in a multivariate setting. Such mapping could help the health managers and planners to devise more effective strategies to control child mortality.