Health in Haiti 2007 : HEALTH OF POPULATION GROUPS
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Children under 5 Years Old
Infant mortality estimates in Haiti are based on data from the Morbidity,Mortality, and Service Utilization surveys (EMMUS).
According to the preliminary report of the 2005–2006 Mortality, Morbidity, and Service Utilization Survey (EMMUS IV), 1 in 12 Haitian children die before their fifth birthday. The survey also found that acute respiratory infections and acute diarrheal diseases continue to be the most common health problems in children— 40% of children under 5 years old had acute respiratory infection symptoms or fever in the two weeks preceding the survey. However, only 20% of children had been taken for a consultation or to get help (20% in urban areas versus 18% in rural areas; and 28% among children whose mother had a secondary education versus 15% among those whose mother had no schooling).
Moreover, 24% of children under 5 years old had had one or more episodes of diarrhea in the two weeks preceding the survey, and
57% had been treated with oral rehydration therapy—an important increase in the use of this treatment as compared with the
previous survey period (2000–2001), in which the figure was 41%. The 2000–2001 survey (EMMUS III) found that 65.3% of
preschoolers were anemic in 2000.
Children 5–9 Years Old
According to data from the 2003 census, the estimated population 5–9 years old accounts for 13% of the total.With the country’s
level of poverty and the fact that 89% of the schools are private, 17% of school-aged children do not attend school and
12.5% have never even been enrolled. In this latter group, 42% were younger than 10 years old and 54% were girls.
Infectious and parasitic diseases were responsible for 27% of recorded deaths in this age group. Tuberculosis, diarrheal diseases,
malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, and malaria are the five leading causes of death,with no differences between the sexes.Also noteworthy
is the importance of external causes in the mortality of children in this age group (8%). A more detailed study of the
causes of death, based on data from 2000, reveals that boys are more likely to be the victims of traffic accidents and girls are
more often victims of accidents in the home.
Adolescents 10–14 and 15–19 Years Old
The 10 leading causes of death in these groups include AIDS, physical assaults, accidents, tuberculosis, typhoid, and maternal
causes; services for adolescents are mainly provided by nonprofit organizations.According to the 2005–2006 Mortality,Morbidity,
and Service Utilization Service Survey (EMMUS IV), the fertility rate among 15–19-year-old women is 69 per 1,000, with wide
disparities between the metropolitan region (46 per 1,000) and rural areas (86 per 1,000). One of every five women aged 15–19
years old has access to modern contraceptives. Condom use was low in this group (7%) in 2005–2006.
In 2005, there were 1,002 deliveries among girls 10–14 years old, and 6,090 among women 15–19 years old.Violence and sexual
abuse are more common among 10–19-year-olds than in any other age groups.
Adults 20–59 Years Old
This age group—which includes women of childbearing age and most persons in the workforce—represents 40% of the total
population.According to the 2005–2006 survey (EMMUS IV), the fertility rate among women of childbearing age has declined
from 4.7 children per woman in 2000 to 4.1 in 2003, with variations depending on area of residence (five children in rural areas,
and three in the metropolitan area). Information on at least one modern family-planning method has been given to 99% of
women. The modern methods most commonly used by women who are in a relationship are injections (11%), condoms (5%),
and the pill (3%). Only 2% opt for sterilization in both urban and rural areas, and 2%, for IUDs.
Older Adults 65 Years Old and Older
According to the 2003 Population and Housing Census, the population older than 65 years old represents 5.1% of the total
population. Some 72% of this group lives in rural areas, and 7.7% indicated that they had at least one disability.Women account for
53% of the age group. Approximately 78% of the elderly do not know how to read or write.
The analysis of the causes of death in 2003 for that age group reveals a predominance of noncommunicable diseases (in descending order, cardiovascular disease, stroke, neoplasms, lung disease, diarrheal disease, and diabetes mellitus).
Popularity: 17% [?]
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