The study was a secondary analysis of existing data from the 2011 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey data. Of the 2097 live births recorded in Affar, Somali, Benishangul-Gumuz, and Gambela regions of Ethiopia between 2006 and 2011, 366 deaths before the age of five years were reported. The univariable and multivariable Cox proportional regression models were fitted to select the factors affecting under-five mortality in these regions. The model revealed that under-five mortality significantly associated with preceding birth interval, family size, birth type, breastfeeding status, source of drinking water, and income of mother. Children born after a preceding birth interval of 2-3 years and 3 years and above were significantly less likely to have died before their fifth birthday than those born within two years. Children who were breastfed, for any period, were 25.5&#x25; (HR 1.255, 1.005&#x2013;1.567, p = 0.045) less likely to have died before their fifth birthday than those who were not breastfed. Increased birth interval time corresponds to a low probability of child mortality. Thus, mothers should be encouraged to wait for a sufficient number of months after a birth to conceive another child. Furthermore, breastfeeding was of paramount importance in the fight against child mortality.

Solomon Gebretsadik

Emmanuel Gabreyohannes

Determinants of Under-Five Mortality in High Mortality Regions of Ethiopia: An Analysis of the 2011 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey Data

This paper examines the education-fertility linkage in tribal society through a cross section study on the Misings, the second largest scheduled tribe of the state of Assam, India. Applying multiple regression analysis, the paper finds that while the education of both wife and husband has retarding effect on fertility, the number of live births born is significantly less when wives are more educated than husbands. The education of females has been found to have positive relation with fertility up to 5.3 years of schooling and negative relation thereafter so as to reach the replacement level of fertility at the graduate level of education. Thus, the critical years of education of the wives required to have a depressing impact on fertility is 5.3. The paper recommends policies for expansion of education with primary focus on inclusion and retention of the females in education.

Amarjyoti Mahanta

Impact of Education on Fertility: Evidence from a Tribal Society in Assam, India

Background. The sociopolitical situation in Afghanistan continually pushes Afghans to seek safety and better socioeconomic prospects in neighboring and foreign countries. In this paper we examine the mental health of Afghan migrants residing in Istanbul, Turkey, an understudied population at high risk of psychopathology. Methods. We surveyed 158 Afghan migrants to assess psychological distress using a culturally grounded measure of mental health, the Afghan Symptom Checklist [ASCL], and used hierarchical regression analysis to examine the impact of postmigration living difficulties (PMLDs) on mental health. Results. We found that depressive, somatoform, anxiety-like symptoms occurred often, as did a number of culturally salient idioms of distress. Regression analyses showed that while socioeconomic variables and poor physical health status significantly predicted psychological distress, PMLDs exerted the strongest negative effect. The most pressing PMLDs for Afghans in Turkey are poverty, unemployment, lack of treatment for health problems, fears of being deported and related legal challenges, and family-related stressors. Conclusion. Our results point to the importance of the critical need to create culturally sensitive interventions to remediate high levels of psychological distress by addressing related PMLD stressors in a highly vulnerable Afghan migrant population residing in Turkey.

Qais Alemi

Carl Stempel

Kelly Baek

Lisa Lares

Patricia Villa

Didem Danis

Susanne Montgomery

Impact of Postmigration Living Difficulties on the Mental Health of Afghan Migrants Residing in Istanbul

This study examined the effects of declining fertility on household socioeconomic and health conditions in Tanzania, using a comparative survey of urban versus rural areas of Kwimba District in Mwanza region. Cross-sectional cum causal-comparative research design was adopted for the study. The target population is comprised of all females of the childbearing age residing in Kwimba District. The study utilized a stratified random sampling technique to pick two areas in the district while disproportionate random sampling technique was used to select 196 respondents. A questionnaire was used to elicit information from the respondents. Multivariate analyses were adopted to answer the three research questions of the study. The findings of this study revealed that women of the childbearing age from the two study sites in the district exhibited a small difference regarding fertility inequalities and socioeconomic and health conditions. This study also discovered a significant relationship between critical socioeconomic variables and women&#x2019;s improved socioeconomic status in the communities. These findings, therefore, provide an explanation for the onset of fertility decline which has consequently led to some demonstrated demographic dividend at a household level. The paper recommends enhancement of social transformation and women empowerment in both rural and urban environments for sustained improved living conditions.

George Felix Masanja

Emmanuel Lwankomezi

Chrisant Emmanuel

The Effects of Declining Fertility on Household Socioeconomic Conditions in Tanzania: A Comparative Study of Urban versus Rural Areas of Kwimba District, Mwanza Region

Research in assortative mating in developing countries focused mainly on the cultural similarities of individuals till the most recent times. Educational homogamy was not considered a significant factor. This study examined the changes in educational homogamy of 39,257 ever-married couples in India for the three marriage cohorts 1964&#x2013;1984, 1985&#x2013;1995, and 1996&#x2013;2006 by place of residence, religion, and economic background. The study also examined the regional pattern of educational homogamy based on female literacy and the probability of educational homogamy after adjusting for socioeconomic background of the respondent. Data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3) was used for the study. The study observed significant increase in educational homogamy for the successive marriage cohorts. Homogamy is concentrated at the extremes of the educational attainment. In urban areas, homogamy is concentrated among the higher educated individuals whereas, in rural areas, homogamy is high among uneducated individuals. The results also depict regions with higher female literacy having the highest educational homogamy and vice versa. The study also found an increase in the probability of homogamy and a decline in hypogamy for literate women, after accounting for socioeconomic confounders.

Kakoli Borkotoky

Ashish Kumar Gupta

Trends and Patterns of Educational Homogamy in India: A Marriage Cohort Analysis

Fertility rates significantly fell over the last decades in Latin America. In order to assess the extent to which these changes contributed to the observed reduction in income poverty and inequality, we apply microeconometric decomposition to microdata from national household surveys from seven Latin American countries. We find that changes in fertility rates were associated with a nonnegligible reduction in inequality and poverty in the region. The main channel was straightforward: lower fertility implied smaller families and hence larger per capita incomes. Lower fertility also fostered labor force participation, especially among women, which contributed to the reduction of poverty and inequality in most countries, although the size of this effect was smaller.

Nicol&#xe1;s Badaracco

Leonardo Gasparini

Mariana Marchionni

Distributive Implications of Fertility Changes in Latin America

Interventions aimed at prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV are extremely effective but remain underutilized in many countries. Common economic barriers to PMTCT experienced by pregnant women with HIV are well documented. Addressing these economic barriers has a potential to improve PMTCT utilization and further reduce mother-to-child HIV transmission. This review examines the evidence of the effects economic strengthening (ES) interventions have on use of and adherence to PMTCT and other health services relevant to PMTCT cascade. While very few studies on ES interventions were conducted in PMTCT settings, the results of a recent randomised trial demonstrate that conditional cash transfers offered to women in PMTCT programme can significantly improve retention in care and adherence to treatment. This review also considers evidence on ES interventions conducted within other health care settings relevant to PMTCT cascade. While the evidence from other settings is promising, it may not be fully applicable to PMTCT and more quality research on ES interventions among population of pregnant women with HIV is needed. Answering some of the research questions formulated by this review can provide more evidence for programme implementers and guide decisions about how to increase women&#x2019;s use of and adherence to PMTCT services.

Irina Yacobson

Morrisa Malkin

Elena Lebetkin

Increasing Access and Adherence to the PMTCT Cascade: Is There a Role for Economic Strengthening Interventions?

The role of proximate determinants in influencing fertility has been well documented worldwide. Bongaarts&#x2019; aggregate model of the proximate determinants (which focuses on marriage, contraception, abortion, and sterility) has been widely used to analyse the influence of proximate determinants on fertility. In Zambia, however, there is limited understanding of their effects. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effect of proximate determinants of fertility in Zambia using Bongaarts&#x2019; model. This was a cross-sectional analysis of women&#x2019;s data from the 2007 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS). A total of 7,146 women aged 15 to 49 years participated in the ZDHS. Bongaarts&#x2019; model was employed in the data analysis. Results showed that, overall, mean age was 27.8 years and rural-urban distribution was 56&#x25; and 44&#x25;, respectively. Marriage (40&#x25;) and postpartum infecundity (22&#x25;) accounted for the largest inhibiting effect on natural fertility from its biological maximum of 19.10. Contraception use accounted for only 3&#x25;. Therefore, in order to manage fertility in Zambia, policies and programmes should consider the effects of marriage, postpartum infecundity, and contraception on fertility. Without such targeted interventions, managing and maintaining population growth will remain a challenge in Zambia.

Mumbi Chola

Charles Michelo

Proximate Determinants of Fertility in Zambia: Analysis of the 2007 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey

This paper analyses the risk factors for being overweight or obese among the children of Mexican migrants in the United States. It draws on a qualitative study consisting of in-depth interviews and participant observation with 30 parents in New York State. Findings indicate risks related to nutritional deficiencies and food insecurity before migration, adaptation to US lifestyles, and the cultural tendency to value being overweight as a sign of greater health and higher socioeconomic status. Findings also show that mothers use various strategies to resist the excessive consumption of fast food, yet they simultaneously experience dilemmas around the family&#x2019;s consumption due to the gender norm that women are responsible for children&#x2019;s diet.

Esperanza Tu&#xf1;&#xf3;n-Pablos

Joanna Dreby

Risk Factors for Overweight and Obesity among Mexican Children in New York

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International Journal of Population Research - Table of contents 2016

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International Journal of Population Research