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Exploring Factors Related to Infant and Child Mortality in Ghana Using the 2003 Demographic and Health Survey Data
Authors: Acheampong Yaw Amoateng, Ishmael Kalule-Sabiti
Source: Southern African Journal of Demography, 14(1): 58-81
Topic(s): Breastfeeding
Childhood mortality
Infant mortality
Country: Africa
  Ghana
Published: JAN 2013
Abstract: Logical reasoning, guided by existing literature is used, as opposed to a purely mathematical procedure, to explore factors related to infant and child mortality in Ghana. The decision to use this approach arises from the limitations of such conventional approaches as stepwise regression models. We found no relationship between infant and child mortality and partner’s occupation, maternal age at first birth and birth order. However, respondent’s education, residence, childhood place of residence, ethnicity, religion and birth order all showed considerable relationship with infant and child mortality when considered individually, although the significance of the latter set of variables was reduced considerably once the effect of region was considered. Keywords: Infant and child mortality, demographic and health survey, globalization, logistic regression, generalized logit models, household amenities, maternal education, breastfeeding, proportional odds model, toilet facilities.