Effect of female literacy rate and education on infant mortality in Peru, 2001-2022

Julio Cesar Quispe Mamani^1*Santotomas Licimaco Aguilar Pinto²Amira Carpio Maraza¹Yethy Melixa Poma Palma¹Lucas Ponce Quispe¹Nelly Beatriz Quispe Maquera¹Balbina Esperanza Cutipa¹Betsy Quispe¹Paola Huarca Flores³Asunción Calcina Álvarez⁴Lycet Maria Caceres Bustinza⁵

• ¹Universidad Nacional del Altiplano, Puno, Peru
• ²Néstor Cáceres Velásquez Andean University, Juliaca, Peru
• ³Catholic University of Santa María, Arequipa, Arequipa, Peru
• ⁴Amazon National University of Madre de Dios, Puerto Maldonado, Peru
• ⁵National University Micaela Bastidas of Apurimac, Abancay, Peru

The objective was to analyze the impact of the literacy rate and the educational level of women on infant mortality across the 24 departments and the constitutional province of Peru between 2001 and 2022. Data provided by the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI) were used, and a statistical analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between female literacy, educational attainment, and infant mortality across the country's regions. A panel data model was employed, allowing for the capture of both temporal variations and regional differences. The analysis determined that there is a significant inverse relationship between women's educational level measured by literacy rate and average years of schooling and the infant mortality rate in Peru between 2001 and 2022. In other words, higher levels of female education are associated with lower infant mortality rates, highlighting the central role of education as a determinant of child health. Moreover, significant regional inequalities persist, especially in rural and impoverished areas where educational levels are lower and infant mortality rates are higher. These findings underscore the need for comprehensive public policies that not only improve access to and the quality of education but also strengthen health and education infrastructure and prioritize targeted interventions to reduce territorial disparities. A multisectoral and inclusive approach is essential to achieve sustainable improvements in child health indicators and social equity in the country.