Introduction
Immediately after World War II, the number of children born in the US increased so much that the period became unofficially known as the ‘baby boom.’ This increase in the number of children born was partly as a result of the reduction in the number of children who died before the age of five between the 1950’s and 1985. This remarkable reduction in the trend was necessitated by a host of factors, some high tech and complex while many others relatively low tech and cost effective. In this essay, a number of such factors are discussed.
Reducing Child Mortality in the US
Through the use of such simple and cost effective measures such as the administration of vaccines, antibiotics and, where need be, nutritional supplements, the number …show more content…
In the period, as De La Mata (2012, p. 1064) points out, a lot of emphasis was placed on access to health care services; such as through the enactment of the Medicaid which made it mandatory for certain individuals to be covered such as pregnant women and children as well as low income families. By making these groups eligible by law for medical care, the Medicaid legislations ensured that poor families and pregnant women and children had access to basic healthcare. With increased access to medical care improved the health of both mothers and children and hence the reduction in the deaths recorded among children aged below …show more content…
Technological advancements in the field of medicine, greater emphasis on access to health care services and simple and cost effective measures such as the administration of vaccines and antibiotics were instrumental in helping reduce the death rates among children aged below five. Other measures such as the empowerment of women were also taken to help improve the life and health of such children. Overall, the changes reduced the likelihood of a child dying before age five through illnesses or accidental injuries or any other