Spatial and spatio-temporal distribution of infant mortality in the state of Sergipe, Brazil: An ecological study, 2019–2023

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the spatial and spatiotemporal distribution of infant mortality in the state of Sergipe from 2019 to 2023. STUDY DESIGN: Ecological study. METHODS: This ecological study used publicly available data on infant deaths in Sergipe between 2019 and 2023, obtained from the Mortality Information System. Variables related to the child, mother, and healthcare factors were considered. Bayesian mortality rates were calculated and mapped across municipalities. Moran's Index was applied to assess spatial correlation. RESULTS: Between 2019 and 2023, Sergipe recorded 2547 infant deaths. The leading causes were perinatal conditions (Chapter XVI) and abnormal findings in examinations (Chapter XVIII), predominantly in the northern region. Higher mortality was observed among Black female infants with very low or low birth weight, as well as clusters of deaths among adolescent mothers in the Itabaiana region, and adult or late-age mothers in Propriá, which also showed higher mortality among preterm infants. The municipalities of Propriá and Nossa Senhora do Socorro reported more deaths associated with cesarean deliveries. Aracaju, São Cristóvão, and Nossa Senhora do Socorro formed high-mortality clusters, with a risk 641.77 times greater; conversely, Nossa Senhora da Glória, Lagarto, and Estância exhibited a 66 % lower risk. CONCLUSION: Infant mortality in Sergipe is unevenly distributed, concentrated in high-risk clusters, and reflects regional disparities as well as specific maternal and neonatal factors.