Asian Journal of Probability and Statistics

The paper examines the determinants associated with under-five mortality in Kenya with main aim of demonstrating the key variable responsible for under-five mortality change in the country. The research study utilizes the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey. As noted in various studies the under-five mortality has been declining in Kenya over the years. Consequently, this reduction in mortality has not been significant in regard to the expectations in development goal 4. Therefore, it is against this background that this paper sought to investigate the contribution of determinants of U5MR in Kenya. Data was analyzed using R studio and SPSS 23.0. Descriptive statistical analysis involving percentages and frequencies were used as well as a Chi-squared test at a 5 percent significant level. Binary logistic regression was also used in the analysis of data. In univariate and multivariable analysis, the p-value found to be less than 0.05 was taken to be statistically significant with a 95% CI (confidence interval) used to examine the factors of U5MR. From the results obtained, it was noted that a total of 19,530 under-five children were included in the study. Some of the variables that indicated a high risk of death for the under-five mortality included mothers whose education level was at the primary level, divorced mothers, and mothers whose maternal age was between 45-49 years of age. The government of Kenya should target policy interventions that improve maternal education, give aid to vulnerable mothers and help improve children health issues to bring down under five mortality in Kenya. The policy framework that can be derived from this research is that the inequalities that exist between economic and social factors affecting infant mortality should be harmonized as part of the wider strategy to lower under fiver mortality.