TY - RPRT AU - Pandey, Jhabindra Prasad AU - Dhakal, Megha Raj AU - Karki, Sujan AU - Poudel, Pradeep AU - Pradham, Meeta Sainju CY - Calverton, Maryland, USA TI - Maternal and child health in Nepal: The effects of caste, ethnicity, and regional identity T2 - DHS Further Analysis Reports No. 73 PB - ICF International PY - 2013 UR - http://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FA73/FA73.pdf AB - Analysis of the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) findings from the perspective of caste, ethnicity, and regional identity (Bennett et al., 2008) was first conducted only after the third DHS round, which took place in 2006. The final reports in each round of the NDHS present extensive analysis from a gender, age, wealth, and geographic perspective but do not disaggregated the data from the perspective of caste, ethnicity, and regional identity. However, studies by Bennett and colleagues (2008), RTI (2008), and the Nepal Family Health Program II and New ERA (2010) have revealed important differences among caste/ethnic groups, exposing gaps in health services utilization and health outcomes that remain despite overall progress toward many of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Such studies provide a valuable opportunity to focus policy attention on specific excluded or under-served groups of people. This paper has two principal objectives. The first is to foster a better understanding of the disparities, in terms of caste, ethnicity, and regional identity, in access to and utilization of health services and in health outcomes by disaggregating the 2011 NDHS data for a selection of maternal and child health services and outcomes. Second, it examines the association of the caste, ethnicity, and regional identity of the respondents with use of selected health services and with health outcomes. Thus, the paper aims to help strengthen the evidence base on existing social disparities as a foundation for policy-making and programmatic decisions in the health sector. N1 - For assistance using downloaded citations from The DHS Program, please visit http://dhsprogram.com/publications/Citing-DHS-Publications.cfm. This report presents findings from a further analysis study undertaken as part of the follow-up to the 2011 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). Funding for the further analysis of the survey was provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). ICF International provided technical assistance for the survey and further analysis, and New ERA provided in-country coordination and technical assistance through the MEASURE DHS program, a USAID-funded project providing support and technical assistance in the implementation of population and health surveys in countries worldwide. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the US government or other funding agencies. This report is part of the MEASURE DHS program, which is designed to collect, analyze, and disseminate data on fertility, family planning, maternal and child health, nutrition, and HIV/AIDS. Additional information about the 2011 NDHS may be obtained from the Population Division, Ministry of Health and Population, Government of Nepal, Ramshahpath, Kathmandu, Nepal; telephone: (977-1)4262987; and from New ERA, P.O. Box 722, Kathmandu, Nepal; telephone: (977-1) 4423176/4413603; fax: (977-1) 4419562; e-mail: info@newera.com.np. Information about the DHS program may be obtained from MEASURE DHS, ICF International, 11785 Beltsville Drive, Suite 300, Calverton, MD 20705, USA; telephone: 301-572-0200; fax: 301-572-0999; e-mail: reports@measuredhs.com; Internet: http://www.measuredhs.com ER -