OBJECTIVE: To assess, among the criteria adopted by the Program of Neonates at Risk of the Health Department of the Municipality of Santos, São Paulo, Brazil, the risk factors for post-neonatal infant mortality. METHODS: In a retrospective study, data from 22,452 newborn charts, from 1998 to 2001, were retrieved. Logistic regression was applied to detect risk factors for the dependent variable: death between 29 days and one year old. The independent variables were: birth weight <2,500g, congenital malformation, unwanted pregnancy, need of hospitalization after mother's discharge, unemployed house chief, siblings <2 years old and single mother. RESULTS: During the studied period, among the 22,452 children, there were 97 deaths of children between 29 days and one year old. In the bivariate analysis, the variables "birth weight <2,500g", "congenital malformations", "need of hospitalization after mother's discharge", "unemployed house chief", "siblings <2 years" and "single mother" were significantly associated to post-neonatal death. By logistic regression analysis, "birth weight <2.500g", "congenital malformations", "need of hospitalization after mother's discharge" and "siblings <2 years old" were significantly associated to post-neonatal mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The criteria adopted by the Program of Neonates at Risk were useful to identify infants at risk for death from 29 days to one year of life.
risk factors; postneonatal mortality; child
