Socio-economic and environmental determinants of child mortality and morbidity in Uttar Pradesh, India
Student name: Ms Pratishtha Khanduri
Guide: Dr Prashant Kumar Singh and Dr Montu Bose
Year of completion: 2018
Host Organisation: TERI School of Advanced Studies
Abstract: In India the decline in mortality rates among children has been relatively slower. The fall in neonatal mortality rate in fact has been slower than reduction in infant and under-five mortality during the past few decades. This has led to a subsequent rise in infant mortality rates across the country. Uttar Pradesh has a very high incidence of child mortality as well as childhood diarrhoea. In the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 4 conducted in the period 2015-16 it was found that the number of diarrhoeal cases reported in Uttar Pradesh has doubled from the survey held in 2005-06. The aim of the present study is to analyse the socio-economic and environmental determinants of morbidity and mortality among children in Uttar Pradesh. For the purpose of the study data was collected for the period 2009-2016 for 71 districts in UP. Using logistic regression and survival analysis for morbidity and mortality respectively the results show that climatic factors do have an impact on mortality and morbidity. This association persists even after controlling for other socio-economic and health related variables in some cases. Other significant factors associated with mortality and morbidity are mother’s education, breastfeeding pattern, whether proper healthcare services were received i.e. pre and post-natal care.
