Final answer:
Infant mortality is high among impoverished populations due to poor living conditions, inadequate prenatal care, and limited healthcare services. Disparities are caused by factors like malnutrition, disease, and poor access to clean water. Differences within and between countries indicate that wealth, healthcare systems, and societal values significantly impact these rates.
Step-by-step explanation:
Infant mortality remains high in areas that are populated predominately by impoverished peoples, due primarily to poorer than average living conditions and prenatal care, as well as limited health care services. This situation can be linked to the high infant mortality rates observed in low-income countries where factors such as malnutrition, lack of access to quality health care, unsanitary living conditions, disease, and inadequate water and sewer systems compound the problem. In addition, disparities in infant mortality rates are also evident within affluent nations like the United States, where poverty, ethnicity, and the local political climate play significant roles in determining infant health outcomes.
For instance, babies born in poor countries are 16 times more likely to die in their first five years than those in rich countries. About 40% of people aged 15 and older in low-income countries are illiterate, affecting their capacity to improve living and health conditions for their families. Additionally, statistics like a higher infant mortality rate in the US compared to countries with less wealth but better access to healthcare, such as Cuba, highlight the complex intersection of wealth, healthcare systems, and societal values in determining infant mortality outcomes.