Abstract

Despite impressive economic growth, high rates of malnutrition persist in India. This study decomposes the contribution of various factors in determining the change in economic inequality in malnutrition. Data were drawn from Indian Demographic Health Survey, better known as the National Family Health Survey, III & IV carried out in 2005-06 and 2015-16, respectively. Income-related inequality in stunting, underweight, and wasting was measured by the concentration index (CI) and the concentration curve (CC). The study used Wagstaff decomposition analysis to decompose the concentration index. The covariates predicting economic inequality in under-nutrition were segregated into five groups; mother’s factor, health-seeking factors, environmental factors, child factors, and household factors. During 2005-06 as well as 2015-16, maternal factors (specifically mother’s education) were the highest contributory factors in explaining rich-poor inequality in stunting and underweight among urban children. More than 85% of the economic inequality in stunting, underweight, and wasting among urban children were explained by maternal factors, environmental factors, and health-seeking factors. Since the cognitive and developmental deficiency resulting from malnutrition may significantly be irreversible after two years of age, it is encouraged that policy-makers shall evenly target children for nutritional programs, with emphasis on children aged below two years. Rich-poor inequality in malnutrition calls out for the expedite policy interventions aimed at poverty reduction in urban areas. There is also a need to provide mass education regarding nutrition and health, along with focussing on the correlates that aim at improving mother’s education.

Presenters

Shekhar Chauhan
Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Population Policies and Programmes, International Institute for Population Sciences, Maharashtra, India

Details

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Theme

Public Health Policies and Practices

KEYWORDS

Child Health, Urbanization, Exclusion, Poverty, Socio-Economic Differences, Environmental Health, Malnutrition

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