What is the current infant mortality rate as per NITI Aayog?

Appeared in: ISRO 2024

Explanation

The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) is the number of deaths of children under one year of age per 1,000 live births.
Data from the Sample Registration System (SRS) report for 2020 confirms that the national IMR for India is 28 per 1,000 live births.
This statistic is a crucial indicator of the overall health and well-being of a population and the effectiveness of maternal and child health services.

Option A: This value represents the Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) for India in 2020, which measures deaths within the first 28 days of life.
Option C: This value is significantly higher than the national average IMR of 28. It reflects an outdated statistic or a rate that might be seen in a specific state with higher mortality, but it is not the current national figure.
Option D: This is an outdated and high value that does not reflect the current national Infant Mortality Rate, which has seen a significant decline over the decades.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain National Health Statistics: Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
IMR is a critical measure used in community health nursing to assess the health status of a population, plan interventions, and evaluate the effectiveness of national health programs like the National Health Mission (NHM).
A high IMR can point to issues such as poor maternal health, inadequate nutrition, lack of access to quality healthcare, and poor environmental sanitation.
What if the question asked for the state with the lowest IMR? The answer would be Kerala, which had an IMR of 6 per 1000 live births in 2020, demonstrating significant regional disparities within India.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key term in the question: 'infant mortality rate' (IMR).
Differentiate IMR from other related terms like Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR - first 28 days) and Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR).
Recall the latest official health statistics for India as per the nursing curriculum, which is based on sources like the Sample Registration System (SRS).
Evaluate the given options. Select the value that matches the official IMR data (28 per 1000 live births for 2020).
Recognize common distractors, such as the value for NMR (20 per 1000 live births).

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: National Health Statistics: Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)
Stem keywords: infant mortality rate, NITI Aayog, current
Lead-in keywords: What is
Clinical cues: Age/sex group narrows the expected diagnosis, intervention, or normal reference range.

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 2 — Subpart A (pp 1-232 of 464) pp. 67-69, 64-66

E6 Comprehensive Textbook of Community Health Nursing for BSc Nursing Students Part 2 — Subpart A (pp 1-275 of 550) p. 191-193

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Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.