title: Infant and child mortality in three culturally contrasting states of India.
abstract: Using cross-sectional, individual-level survey data from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh collected under the Indian National Family Health Survey programme of 1992-93, statistical modelling was used to analyse the impact of a range of variables on the survival status of children during their first 2 years of life. Attention was focused on the potential impact of the mother's autonomy. The strongest predictors of mortality were demographic and biological factors, breast-feeding behaviour, and use and knowledge of health services. Variables that can be interpreted as being related to maternal autonomy, such as the presence of a mother-in-law in the household, did not have a significant direct effect on child survival at the individual level, and their indirect effects were very limited.
authors.affiliation: Carolina Population Center, Chapel Hill, NC 27516-3997, USA
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hindet
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Matthews
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D001721:Birth Intervals; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D011247:Pregnancy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D014933:Women's Rights