Abstract

Introduction: Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) is still considered a relevant population health indicator. Knowing related factors and implementation of specific policies positively impacts its reduction. Objective: To evaluate the evolution of the studies on infant mortality in Chile in the last three decades. Patients and Methods: A systematic search using Medline, Lilacs and Scielo databases was carried out. Global and component IMR was reviewed. Results: IMR has been reduced considerably since 1980. Sixty-eight papers were found, mostly in national journals and bulletins. Most of them (73.5%) were descriptive studies, although association studies have increased since 2000. The main data source was National Institute of Statistics (47%). The most frequently studied variables were: cause of death (42.6%), maternal age (30.9%) and site (17.6%). Analysis strategies are mostly descriptive, although studies of association most often utilize correlation indices. Conclusion: Infant Mortality continues to be a topic of interest to researchers, who use different strategies. Continued study is encouraged.