| The purpose of this research was to study the relationship between infant mortality rates and ethnic groups in the United States from 1996-1998 and whether living below the poverty level can explain any differences. Statistical analysis of the data set n=102, infant mortality rate of African Americans and Caucasians in the 50 United States and the District of Columbia obtained a statistically significant correlation, with r = .873, and t(100) =17.876, p = .000. The statistical analysis of the data n=51, infant mortality rate of African Americans and percentage living below the poverty level obtained a non-significant correlation (r =-.065). While the statistical analysis of the data n=51, infant mortality rate of Caucasians and percentage living below the poverty level obtained a statistically significant correlation, with r = .358, and t(49) = 2.688, p = .010. When looking at the statistical correlations it is safe to say that living below the poverty level has a large effect on the infant mortality rate of Caucasians while there is no noticeable effect on the infant mortality rate African Americans. |