Mortality rates as indicators of cross-cultural development: regional variations in the Third World.

"While infant mortality and the under 5 mortality rates are widely used as measures of development, the death rate among 1-4 year olds may be a more effective measure of socioenvironmental conditions affecting mortality, since this age group is less influenced by genetic and biological factors than infants. This article looks at the relationship between infant, under 5, and 1-4 mortality rates and level of development, immunization, information, access to drinking water and health services, and literacy rates among mothers for 78 less developed countries. The evidence suggests that socioenvironmental variables have greater degrees of correlation with age group 1-4 mortality than infant or under 5 mortality, pointing to the importance of this measure in cross-cultural research." excerpt