Interesting numbers, John. Thanks. I scanned around a bit.
Overall infant mortality: 6.8
Less than 1,500 Grams: 243.9
Less than 500 Grams: 855.1
500-749 Grams: 476.8
750-999 Grams: 154.2
Those numbers don't make sense to me. I assume these are raw numbers, not percents, and that the 6.8 is a typo of some sort. Moreover, if they are raw numbers, it doesn't make sense that the less than 1,500 grams number could be smaller than than the less than 500 grams. Perhaps I'm misreading the numbers.
As for the data manipulations you say you did, let's back up. If you know of a research literature on these questions, why don't you pop up some citations. My guess is that literature has already looked at the pros and cons of your argument and will give us substantially more information on which to chew.
The literature would address the relative quality of the data and the appropriateness of the statistical work.
As for taking Krugman and Kristof's word, I have not read Kristof on this question and am lukewarm on his op ed columns, to the point I usually just skim. As for Krugman, as you can see from my comments, I have great respect. As for taking numbers from dictatorships, I would not be surprised if some numbers are good and some are bad. I wouldn't reject numbers from a dictatorship simply because it was such without examining the conditions under which the data were generated. Same should be said for democracies and everything in between. |
