The socioeconomic status of community is best indicated by

Infant moality rate (IMR) is defined as the ratio of infant deaths registered in a given year to the total number of live bihs registered in the same year, usually expressed as a rate per 1000 live bihs. It is given by the formula: IMR= No. of deaths of children less than 1 year of age in a year --------------------------------------------------------------------x1000 No. of live bihs in the same year IMR is universally regarded not only as a most impoant indicator of the health status of a community but also of the level of living of people in general and effectiveness of MCH services in paicular. Infant moality rate is given a separate treatment by demographers because: IMR is the single largest single age-category of moality. Deaths at this age are due to a peculiar set of diseases and conditions to which the adult population is less exposed or less vulnerable. IMR is affected rather quickly and directly by specific health programmes and hence may change more rapidly than the general death rate. Ref : Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine; 18th edition; Page-417