Geographical Patterns of Under-Five Mortality in Nigeria: Does Internet Use Matter?

Under-five mortality (U5M) is still a significant public health problem in Nigeria. Studies aimed at addressing the health problem have identified the effects of several socio-economic and environmental factors. However, the relationship between internet use and U5M within the spatial context remains sparse in the literature. The use of the Internet is an important social determinant of health, and it has the potential to make a significant difference in improving the health of children. To this end, the spatial patterns of U5M and its relationship with internet use and other covariates were investigated in this study using global and local spatial regression. Under-five deaths were found to vary geographically with significant concentration in the Northern region, especially in Zamfara, Kano, and Bauchi states. Global regression shows an inverse association between U5M and internet use (Beta = −0.06, P < 0.05), but a positive association with population density (Beta = 0.02, P < 0.05) and poverty (Beta = 1.46, P < 0.05). The result of the spatial analysis supports findings from the global regression with divergent spatial relationships across states in the country. The study recommends addressing the challenges associated with the digital divide and other socio-economic problems to tackle childhood mortality in Nigeria.