Spädbarnsdödligheten I Norra Sverige 1865–1935. En Komparativ Studie. : Infant mortality in northern Sweden 1865-1935. A comparative study.

Sammanfattning: This paper aimed to investigate infant mortality in the parishes of Luleå, Jokkmokk and Haparanda, in Sweden, during three different time periods: 1865, 1900 and 1935. The selected parishes represented diverse environments where previous research had identified varying infant mortality rates. Luleå represented urban setting. Jokkmokk represented the rural environment, and Haparanda represented coastal setting. The results from these parishes were compared with three parishes from western Sweden and contextualized within the broader perspectives of demographic and epidemiological transitions. These transitions refer to improvements in human living standards and conditions, leading to increased survival rates, longer life expectancy and reduced infant mortality during the 19th and 20th centuries. To address the research objectives, serval questions were posed: - How was mortality distributed between genders? - How was mortality distributed across the first year of the infants´ lives (neonatal/post neonatal)? - Did seasons influence infant mortality? - What were the common causes of death? - What differences and similarities existed in infant mortality among the three examined parishes and previously studied parishes in western Sweden? This historical demographic study relied on quantitative data, utilizing birth and baptismalrecords (födesle- och dopböcker), as well as death and burial records (död- och begravningsböcker) from the specified parishes and time periods. Information about deceased infants was extracted from these records and compiled into graphs and tables. The results were them compared with each other, previous infant mortality research, and placed within the broader framework of demographic and epidemiological transitions. The findings revealed both similarities and differences between northern and western Sweden. The infant mortality rate was higher among the boys, accounting for 53% of the deceased, while girls comprised 47%. However, the proportion of girls was higher in Norrland than in western Sweden. Mortality was highest in rural areas, followed by urban areas and coastal regions, contrasting with patterns in western Sweden. Jokkmokk exhibited a total mortality rate of 13% over the three time periods, while Luleå and Haparanda reported rates of 11% and 9%, respectively. Infant mortality was proportionally higher in northern Sweden than in western Sweden. Most infant deaths occurred during spring, and with an expected peak in summer. The neonatal phase accounted for the highest number of deaths. A trend was observed in northern Sweden, where more boys died due to reparatory-related reasons compered to girls, which was not evident in western Sweden. Conversely, most cases of death due to incomplete pregnancy involved girls. Infant mortality demonstrated a decline over the study period, aligning with the demographic and epidemiological transition.