Child Survival and Policy Options in Kenya: Evidence from Demographic and Health Surveys

Authors

  • Jane Kabubo-Mariara University of Nairobi
  • Margaret M. Karienyeh Kenyatta University
  • Francis M. Kabubo Catholic University of Eastern Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-7092.2012.01.2

Keywords:

Child survival, mortality, asset index, Millennium Development Goals, Kenya

Abstract

Abstract: This paper investigates child survival in Kenya. We use survival analysis to explain childhood mortality and further simulate the impact of key policy variables on millennium development goals targets for mortality. The results show that favorable child and maternal characteristics, and household assets are associated with higher probability of survival at time t. The results further show that health care services are crucial for child survival. Policy simulations suggest that maternal education and use of modern contraception methods are key policy issues for child survival. The simulations further suggest that it is unlikely that the millennium development goals targets will be achieved.

Author Biography

Jane Kabubo-Mariara, University of Nairobi

School of Economics

References

Filmer D and L Pritchett. Estimating Wealth Effects without Expenditure Data- or Tears: An Application of Educational Enrollment in States of India. Mimeo. The World Bank, Washington D.C; 2000.
Filmer D and L Pritchett. Child Mortality and Public Spending on Health: How Much Does Money Matter? Policy Research Working Paper No. 1864. The World Bank Washington D.C; 1997.
Garde, M. Inequalities in Child Survival. L looks at wealth and other socio-economic disparities in developing countries. Save the Children, UK. 2010.
Hypher N. The role of social protection in achieving equitable reduction of child mortality. Paper Presented at IDS Conference on ‘Social Protection and Social Justice’ April 13- 15, 2011
Kamal, S. M. M. Maternal Education as a Determinant of Neonatal Mortality in Bangladesh Journal of Health Management 2012, 14: 269-281
Kembo J. and J. K. Van Ginneken (2009). Determinants of infant and child mortality in Zimbabwe: Results of multivariate hazard analysis, Demographic Research 21(13), Pages 367-384.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4054/DemRes.2009.21.13
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics – KNBS (2007). Basic Report on Well-being in Kenya based on Kenya Integrated Household Budget Survey- 2005/6.Ministry of Planning and National Development, Nairobi.
Ministry of Health. The Second National Health Sector Strategic Plan of Kenya (NHSSP II 2005-10): Reversing the Trends; 2005. Mimeo, Health Sector Reform Secretariat. Nairobi.
Mosley WH, Chen LC.""An analytical framework for the study of child survival in developing countries,"" Population and Development Review 1984, 10(Supplement): 25-45.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2807954
Muhuri PK and SH Preston. Effects of Family Composition on Mortality Differentials by Sex among Children in Matlab, Bangladesh. Population and Development Review 1991, 17(3): 415-434.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1971948
Rosenzweig, MR and TP. Schultz (1983) ‘Estimating a Household Production Function: Heterogeneity, the Demand for Health Inputs, and Their Effects on Birth Weight’, Journal of Political Economy 91 (5): 723-746.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/261179
Rutstein SO. “Factors associated with Trends in Infant and Child Mortality in Developing Countries during the 1990s”, Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 2000, 78(10): 1256-1270.
Sahn D and D Stifel. “Poverty Comparisons over Time and Across Countries in Africa,” World Development 2000, 28(12): 2123-2155.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0305-750X(00)00075-9
Sahn D and D Stifel. “Exploring Alternative Measures of Welfare in the Absence of Expenditure Data,” Review of Income and Wealth 2003, 49(4): 463-489.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0034-6586.2003.00100.x
Save the Children. A Fair Chance at Life – Why Equity Matters for Child Mortality. Save the Children, UK. 2010a
Save the Children. Social Protection and Child Survival. November 2010. Save the Children, UK. 2010b
Schell C.O, M. Reilly, H. Rosling, S. Peterson, and A. M. Ekström. Socioeconomic determinants of infant mortality: A worldwide study of 152 low-, middle-, and high-income countries. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health 2007, 35(3) 288-297.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14034940600979171
Schultz TP. Studying the Impact of Household Economic and Community Variables on Child Mortality. Population and Development Review 1984, 10(Supplement): 215-235.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2807962
Sen A. Commodities and Capabilities. North Holland, Amsterdam 1985.
Ssewanyana S and S Younger. Infant Mortality in Uganda: Determinants, Trends and the Millennium Development Goals. Journal of African Economies 2008, 17(1): 34-61.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jae/ejm004
StataCorp. Stata Survival Analysis and Epidemiological Tables Reference Manual. Release 11. College Station, TX: StataCorp LP 2009.
Strauss J and D Thomas. “Human Resources: Empirical modeling of household and family decisions” In J. Behrman and T.N. Srinivasan, eds., Handbook of Development Economics, Vol. 3. Amsterdam; North-Holland 1995.
UNDP. International Human Development Indicators. UNDP://hdrstats.undp.org/en/tables/. Accessed: 11/12/2012.
UNDP, Government of Kenya and Government of Finland. MDGs Status Report for Kenya. Ministry of Planning and National Development. Nairobi, 2005.
UNICEF. Levels and Trends in Child Mortality: Report 2011. http://www.childinfo.org/files/Child_Mortality_Report_2011.pdf. Accessed 11/11/2012
Wang L. Health Outcomes in Poor Countries and Policy Options: Empirical findings from Demographic and Health Surveys. Policy Research Working Paper No. 2831. The World Bank Washington D.C, 2002.

Downloads

Published

2012-11-06

How to Cite

Kabubo-Mariara, J., Karienyeh, M. M., & Kabubo, F. M. (2012). Child Survival and Policy Options in Kenya: Evidence from Demographic and Health Surveys. Journal of Reviews on Global Economics, 1, 13–26. https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-7092.2012.01.2

Issue

Section

Articles