Infant Mortality: Rate of Infant Deaths in Cumberland County (Total) per 1,000 Live Births
Current Value
13.8
Definition
Story Behind the Curve
The infant mortality rate of Cumberland County is currently double that of the state's at 13.8. Several factors influence this significant increase, to include:
- High preterm births, which is at 11.9% for 2023;
- Limited prenatal care access due to a shortage of OB-GYNs in the county;
- Racial and socioeconomic disparities, with the infant mortality rate among babies born to Black mothers and birthing parents being 1.7x the state rate and Cumberland County's Black population being1.8x higher than the state;
- Health behavior and conditions, with Cumberland County having higher rates of diabetes, obesity, and hypertension compared to the state;
- Social Determinants of Health, with Cumberland County having a poverty rate of 15.8% compared to the state's 11.6%; 16.2% of residents live with food insecurity; and 17.2% of residents live in poverty with the largest demographic being females aged 25-34.