Inequalities in child mortality in Mozambique: differentials by parental socio-economic position

TY - JOUR

T1 - Inequalities in child mortality in Mozambique: differentials by parental socio-economic position

AU - Macassa, Gloria

AU - Ghilagaber, Gebrenegus

AU - Bernhardt, Eva

AU - Diderichsen, Finn

AU - Burström, Bo

N1 - Keywords: Adolescent; Adult; Child, Preschool; Developing Countries; Educational Status; Fathers; Female; Health Surveys; Humans; Infant; Infant Mortality; Infant, Newborn; Logistic Models; Male; Middle Aged; Mothers; Mozambique; Occupations; Social Class; Socioeconomic Factors

PY - 2003

Y1 - 2003

N2 - This study investigates the relation between socio-economic parental position (education and occupation) and child death in Mozambique using data from the Mozambican Demographic and Health Survey carried out between March and July 1997. The analysis included 9142 children born within 10 years before the survey. In spite of the Western system of classification used in the study, the results partly showed a parental socio-economic gradient of infant and child mortality in Mozambique. Father's education seemed to reflect the family's social standing in the Mozambique context, showing a strong statistical association with postneonatal and child mortality. However, maternal education as a measure of socio-economic position was not statistically significantly associated with child mortality. This finding may partly be explained by the extreme hardships experienced by the country (civil war and natural disasters) and the implementation of the Economic Structural Adjustment Programme that have also affected the health of women and their children during the years covered by this study. Other measures of socio-economic position applicable to the rural African setting should be investigated.

AB - This study investigates the relation between socio-economic parental position (education and occupation) and child death in Mozambique using data from the Mozambican Demographic and Health Survey carried out between March and July 1997. The analysis included 9142 children born within 10 years before the survey. In spite of the Western system of classification used in the study, the results partly showed a parental socio-economic gradient of infant and child mortality in Mozambique. Father's education seemed to reflect the family's social standing in the Mozambique context, showing a strong statistical association with postneonatal and child mortality. However, maternal education as a measure of socio-economic position was not statistically significantly associated with child mortality. This finding may partly be explained by the extreme hardships experienced by the country (civil war and natural disasters) and the implementation of the Economic Structural Adjustment Programme that have also affected the health of women and their children during the years covered by this study. Other measures of socio-economic position applicable to the rural African setting should be investigated.

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 14572835

SN - 0277-9536

VL - 57

SP - 2255

EP - 2264

JO - Social Science & Medicine

JF - Social Science & Medicine

IS - 12

ER -