Child Survival and Health and their Linkages with Psycho-social Factors in the Home and Community1

Abstract

The study aimed at identifying the crucial psycho-social factors in the child's immediate environment in the poverty context, that influence child survival and health. Secondary data on 200 infants (0-36 months) and their families were analysed. The data base included information on 51 environmental, familial, maternal and child related factors and 3 dependent variables, namely, child mortality, infant morbidity and nutritional status. Data on infant morbidity and nutritional status were analysed by age and gender. The analyses involved step-wise multiple regression and formulation and testing of the best fit predictor equation. Factors associated with child mortality presented the clearest picture in terms of maximum amount of variance explained with a minimum set of predictor variables (74 per cent of the variance explained by 11 variables). The crucial variables associated with child mortality and infant morbidity were related to feeding practices, family composition, mother's education or highest education in the family and immunisation.

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