The Drivers of Child Mortality During the 2012–2016 Drought in La Guajira, Colombia

• DOI: 10.1007/s13753-020-00255-0
• Publication Date: 2020-02-19T12:03:48Z
• Authors: Diana Contreras; Alex Voets; Jana Junghardt; Srirama Bhamidipati; Sandra Contreras
• Keywords: Child mortality; Socioeconomic vulnerability; 2. Zero hunger; 0301 basic medicine; 330; Drought; 304.64; Wayuu indigenous community; 1. No poverty; 01 No poverty; 338; 15. Life on land; Disasters and engineering; 300; 6. Clean water; 3. Good health; Water management; 03 medical and health sciences; TA495; 11. Sustainability; Climate change; Ciencias sociales; 01 Fin de la pobreza

Abstract During the 2012–2016 drought in La Guajira, Colombia, child mortality rates rose to 23.4 out of 1000. Most these children belonged Wayuu indigenous community, largest and one most vulnerable Colombia. At municipal level, this study found a significant positive correlation between average rate households with monthly income less than USD 100, number people without access health insurance, being part population, illiterate, lacking sewage systems, living rural areas, large members younger 5 years old older 65 old. No was water source. The stepwise regression analysis showed that no old, but several account for 90.4% rate. This concludes that, if inhabitants had better incomes or assets, as well an adequate infrastructure, they could have faced observed increase mortality.