Household composition and child health in Botswana
Household composition and child health in Botswana
Background: there is a general lack of research on children’s household experiences and child health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study examines the relationship between household composition and stunting and diarrhoea prevalence among children younger than five years of age in Botswana.
Methods: the analysis uses data from the 2007 Botswana Family Health Survey (BFHS) and multilevel logistic regression models.
Results: the findings indicate that stunting varies by whom the child lives with. Stunting is higher among children living with no parents compared to those living with both parents. Stunting is also high among children living with non-related household members. Conversely, living with an aunt and living with other relatives protects against stunting. Similarly, children living in mother-only households and with a grandparent present have a higher level of stunting compared to those living with both parents. The findings on diarrhoea prevalence show that children living in mother-only households and those living with no parents are less likely to have the condition than those living with both parents. Also, across all households, those who are more affluent, regardless of who is in the household, have lower rates of stunting and diarrhoea prevalence than those who are poorer. Finally, the findings show a clustering effect at household level for both stunting and diarrhoea prevalence.
Conclusions: these findings suggest that policies and programs aimed at reducing stunting and diarrhoea may work best if they target households and other adults in a household besides biological parents. Further, programs should take into account the nature of the child’s health condition, whether it is an indicator of long-term or short-term health.
Household composition; children; stunting; diarrhoea; long-term illness; short-term illness; LMICs; index child
Ntshebe, Oleosi
b13660da-2263-4ebf-9022-c5497dc77b21
Channon, Andrew
5a60607c-6861-4960-a81d-504169d5880c
Hosegood, Victoria
c59a89d5-5edc-42dd-b282-f44458fd2993
3 December 2019
Ntshebe, Oleosi
b13660da-2263-4ebf-9022-c5497dc77b21
Channon, Andrew
5a60607c-6861-4960-a81d-504169d5880c
Hosegood, Victoria
c59a89d5-5edc-42dd-b282-f44458fd2993
Ntshebe, Oleosi, Channon, Andrew and Hosegood, Victoria
(2019)
Household composition and child health in Botswana.
BMC Public Health.
(doi:10.1186/s12889-019-7963-y).
Abstract
Background: there is a general lack of research on children’s household experiences and child health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study examines the relationship between household composition and stunting and diarrhoea prevalence among children younger than five years of age in Botswana.
Methods: the analysis uses data from the 2007 Botswana Family Health Survey (BFHS) and multilevel logistic regression models.
Results: the findings indicate that stunting varies by whom the child lives with. Stunting is higher among children living with no parents compared to those living with both parents. Stunting is also high among children living with non-related household members. Conversely, living with an aunt and living with other relatives protects against stunting. Similarly, children living in mother-only households and with a grandparent present have a higher level of stunting compared to those living with both parents. The findings on diarrhoea prevalence show that children living in mother-only households and those living with no parents are less likely to have the condition than those living with both parents. Also, across all households, those who are more affluent, regardless of who is in the household, have lower rates of stunting and diarrhoea prevalence than those who are poorer. Finally, the findings show a clustering effect at household level for both stunting and diarrhoea prevalence.
Conclusions: these findings suggest that policies and programs aimed at reducing stunting and diarrhoea may work best if they target households and other adults in a household besides biological parents. Further, programs should take into account the nature of the child’s health condition, whether it is an indicator of long-term or short-term health.
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Accepted/In Press date: 18 November 2019
Published date: 3 December 2019
Keywords:
Household composition; children; stunting; diarrhoea; long-term illness; short-term illness; LMICs; index child
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 436429
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/436429
ISSN: 1471-2458
PURE UUID: dbab039a-0728-46b6-ae79-3004e71a3f53
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Date deposited: 10 Dec 2019 17:30
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 03:23
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Author:
Oleosi Ntshebe
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