What is the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) of Rajasthan?

Raj. CHO -2020

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: Raj. CHO -2020

Explanation

The question refers to the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) of Rajasthan, which was 37 per 1,000 live births according to the Sample Registration System (SRS) data for 2018.
IMR is a crucial health indicator reflecting the quality of maternal and child health services, nutrition, sanitation, and overall socioeconomic development.
Rajasthan has historically been one of the states with an IMR higher than the national average, forming part of a 'critical infant mortality belt' in India.
While the latest SRS (2020) data shows an improved IMR of 32 for Rajasthan, examination questions are often based on slightly older, established data, making 37 the intended answer.

Option A: An IMR of 14/1,000 is very low for Rajasthan. This rate is closer to that of states with the best health indicators in India.
Option B: This value represents the national average IMR for India as per the SRS 2020 data, not the specific rate for Rajasthan.
Option D: An IMR of 56/1,000 is excessively high for Rajasthan's current statistics. This figure might reflect historical data from several decades ago or rates in the highest-burden regions globally.

Visual 1: Bar Chart - A comparative bar chart showing the IMR of Rajasthan, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, and the All-India average for the year 2020. This helps visualize Rajasthan's position relative to the best-performing state and the national average.
Visual 2: Map of India - An infographic map highlighting the 'critical infant mortality belt' states, including Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Assam, to show the geographical concentration of high IMR.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) of Rajasthan as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding IMR helps nurses and community health officers identify high-risk areas and populations, guiding resource allocation and public health strategies.
Nurses play a vital role in reducing IMR through interventions like promoting antenatal care, ensuring institutional deliveries, providing postnatal care, encouraging exclusive breastfeeding, and ensuring timely immunization.
A high IMR in a region signals underlying issues such as poor maternal health, malnutrition, inadequate sanitation, and limited access to quality healthcare, all of which are areas for nursing intervention and patient education.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key terms in the question: 'Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)' and 'Rajasthan'. This is a factual recall question based on public health statistics.
Recall the approximate IMR for major Indian states and the national average. Remember that states like Rajasthan, MP, and UP typically have higher IMRs than the national average, while states like Kerala have much lower rates.
Evaluate the given options. 14 is too low, 56 is too high. The choice is between 28 (the national average) and 37.
Since Rajasthan's IMR is known to be higher than the national average, 37 is a more plausible answer than 28.
Recognize that health statistics like IMR are updated annually by sources like the SRS. Examination questions may use data that is a year or two old. In this case, 37 corresponds to the SRS 2018 data for Rajasthan.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) of Rajasthan
Stem keywords: Infant Mortality Rate, IMR, Rajasthan
Lead-in keywords: What is
Clinical cues: Age/sex group narrows the expected diagnosis, intervention, or normal reference range.

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