Indo-US team develops ML-based system to predict infant mortality – ET HealthWorld

A team of researchers from Jodhpur Indian Institute of TechnologyJodhpur and University of Western MichiganThe U.S. has identified significant neonatal and infant mortality predictors using multiple Machine learning (ML) techniques.

This study uses nationwide household survey data from India. The primary objective of this research was to identify early warning signs of infant mortality that could be used by community health workers.

“Early identification of risk factors with the help of community health workers can go a long way in helping India reach this stage. Sustainable development goals“No, Assistant Professor Dr. Dwipoboti Brahma said School of AI and Data ScienceAt IIT Jodhpur, in a statement.

Reducing child mortality is a definite goal under the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 set by the UN.

The study, published in the journal Applied EconomicsUses a series of machine learning algorithms to evaluate the relative importance of characteristics such as first-born, poor families and low birth weight.

These early warning indicators include observable biological characteristics; Demographic characteristics; And socio-economic factors of families, mothers and newborns.

Interpretations of interpretable ML algorithms enable researchers to identify the ‘high-mortality risk’ group of mothers and infants – an important goal of India’s ‘neonatal action plan’.

This high-risk group includes first-born infants, mothers who have died prematurely or several previous births, newborns suffering from complicated delivery, small size at birth, and unvaccinated infants.

The team said the future goal is to expand and develop more streamlined screening criteria with the availability of more granular data with a combination of clinical and socio-economic characteristics.

The research also aims to train community health workers to make predictions as a screening mechanism for identifying persons at risk of mortality and referring them to qualified doctors for more rigorous assessment. Early identification of risk factors will enable women and newborns to receive timely medical care and reduce child mortality in India.

“We recognize early neonatal care, folic acid supplements and conditional cash transfers as the most effective policy interventions,” the researchers wrote in the paper.

“Our analysis highlights the relevance of the policy and suggests some new policy prescriptions such as close monitoring of at-risk children, including females and small birth-size babies,” he added.