Epidemiological analysis of the causes of under-five years mortality in the population covered by Torbat Heydariyeh university of medical sciences (2018–2023)

Aghdasi Torbati, Zeinab; Ghorbani, Mohammad

doi:10.61882/JBUMS.33.1.75

Volume 33, Issue 1 (بهار 2026) J Transl Med Res. 2026, 33(1): 75-85 | Back to browse issues page

‎ 10.61882/JBUMS.33.1.75

Research code: 401000020

Ethics code: IR.THUMS.REC.1403.004

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Aghdasi Torbati Z, Ghorbani M. Epidemiological analysis of the causes of under-five years mortality in the population covered by Torbat Heydariyeh university of medical sciences (2018–2023). J Transl Med Res. 2026; 33 (1) :75-85
URL: http://journal.bums.ac.ir/article-1-3534-en.html

Epidemiological analysis of the causes of under-five years mortality in the population covered by Torbat Heydariyeh university of medical sciences (2018–2023)

Zeinab Aghdasi Torbati¹

, Mohammad Ghorbani ^*²

1- Vice-Chanceller for Health, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
2- Department of Epidemiology, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran , ghorbanim1@tums.ac.ir

Abstract: (657 Views)

Background and Aims: Child mortality is considered one of the key indicators for assessing the status of health and social development. Understanding the pattern of causes of child mortality plays a significant role in planning effective interventions. This study aimed to describe the causes of mortality in children aged 1 to 59 months and examine its annual fluctuations in the population covered by Torbat-e Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat-e Heydariyeh, Iran, from 2018 to 2023.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted using past registry data over a six-year period. All recorded deaths of children aged 1 to 59 months from 2018 to 2023 were included in the study. The obtained data included demographic characteristics, the primary cause of death based on ICD-10 classification, and cases of death attributed to COVID-19. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software and ArcGIS Pro software.
Results: A total of 177 deaths were recorded. The mean age of the deceased children was 17.17 ± 17.18 months, with the highest frequency in the 1 to 12-month age group. The distribution of deaths by gender, place of residence, and place of death was reported descriptively. Congenital abnormalities (44%) and unintentional injuries (17.5%) were the most common causes of death. During the study period, only two deaths attributed to COVID-19 were recorded.
Conclusion: Based on the study’s findings, congenital abnormalities and accidents were the main causes of child mortality in the region. Accordingly, strengthening prenatal care, improving pre-natal screening programs, and implementing preventive interventions can play a significant role in reducing child mortality.

Keywords: Accidents, Child mortality, Congenital abnormalities, Epidemiology, Registry data

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Type of Study: Original Article | Subject: General Health
Received: 2025/11/5 | Accepted: 2026/02/25 | ePublished: 2026/06/5

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