Abstract

Yenew Alemu Mihret*

Background of the study: Under-five mortality is the likelihood for a child born alive to die between birth and fifth birth day. Mortality under the age of five has been the main problem in public health policies especially in rural parts of Ethiopia. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the risk factors of under-five mortality in Ethiopia using the 2011 EDHS data. Results: Information from 8,668 women included in the study show that 64.5% of the women never experienced under-five deaths of their children. Among four possible count models considered, the ZINB regression model was selected as the most appropriate model. Conclusion: The study revealed that mother’s age first birth, breastfeeding status, wealth index, whether the mother is currently working, region and mother’s level of education had statistically significant association with the number of under-five deaths in rural parts of Ethiopia.