AIM Escambia tackles county's high infant mortality rate


  • November 18, 2014
  • /   Shannon Nickinson
  • /   training-development
The Escambia County Health Department and the University of West Florida are working to reduce infant mortality through a collaborative public health initiative. Attack Infant Mortality Escambia is a collaboration of the Health Department, UWF and other community agencies dedicated to infant health. AIM Escambia’s primary objective is to reduce the rate of infant mortality in the county. An infant mortality occurs when a child dies before the age of 1. The infant mortality rate for 2011-2013 in Escambia County was 7.6 per 1,000 live births, which was above the state average. For that same period, the infant death rate among blacks and other non-whites in Escambia County, Florida was nearly double the rate among whites. “If we truly want to save the lives of young infants, then we must begin long before they are actually conceived," said Dr. Erica Jordan, an assistant professor at UWF and program manager for AIM. "Increasing healthy behaviors among young adults before they begin families will lead to healthier pregnancies and healthier infants.” Parental health, especially the mother’s health, affects the health of children in gestation and in infancy. AIM Escambia will use peer educators to encourage young adults to pursue better habits that impact health in pregnancy and infancy. “A mother’s health before pregnancy predicts later infant health," said Dr. John Lanza, director of the Health Department and a pediatrician by specialty. "Healthier communities include healthier mothers who, in turn, have healthier infants.” If you would like to become a peer educator, learn what you need to do to volunteer at www.aimescambia.com or visit AIM Escambia on Facebook or Twitter.
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