Child mortality in rural India
Bas van der Klaauw
Limin WangJournal of Population Economics 24, 601-628 (2011).
Abstract
This paper focuses on infant and child mortality in rural
areas of India. We construct a flexible duration model, which allows
for frailty at multiple levels and interactions between the child's
age and individual, socioeconomic and environmental characteristics.
The model is estimated using the Indian National Family and Health
Survey 1998/1999. The estimation results show that socioeconomic and
environmental characteristics have significantly different impacts
on mortality rates at different ages. These are particularly
important immediately after birth. The parameter estimates indicate
that child mortality can be reduced substantially, particularly by
improving the education of women, providing safe water and reducing
indoor air pollution caused by dirty cooking fuels. Finally, we
still found substantial differences in mortality rates between
states, which are associated with differences in schooling
expenditures, female immunization and poverty rates.
(Click here to
download the PDF file containing the published paper)
Last updated: January 24, 2011.