Livelihoods, nutrition and health in Dhaka slums.
OBJECTIVE
To identify groups within Dhaka slums that report similar patterns of livelihood, and to explore nutritional and health status.


METHODS
A random sample of households participated in a longitudinal study in 1995-1997. Socio-economic and morbidity data were collected monthly by questionnaire and nutritional status was assessed. Cluster analysis was used to aggregate households into livelihood groups.


METHODS
Dhaka slums, Bangladesh.


METHODS
Five-hundred and fifty-nine households.


METHODS
Socio-economic and demographic variables, nutritional status, morbidity.


RESULTS
Four livelihood groups were identified. Cluster 1 was the richest cluster with land, animals, business assets and savings. Loans as well as income were higher, which shows that this group was credit-worthy. The group was mainly self-employed and worked more days per month than the other clusters. The cluster had the second highest body mass index (BMI) score, and the highest children's nutrition status. Cluster 2 was a poor cluster and was mainly dependent self-employed. Savings and loans were lower. Cluster 3 was the most vulnerable cluster. Members of this group were mainly casual unskilled, and 40% were female-headed households. Total income and expenditure were lowest amongst the clusters. BMI and children's nutritional status were lowest in the slum. Cluster 4 was the second richest cluster. This group comprised skilled workers. BMI was the highest in this cluster and children's nutritional status was second highest.


CONCLUSIONS
Cluster analysis has identified four groups that differed in terms of socio-economic, demographic and nutritional status and morbidity. The technique could be a practically useful tool of relevance to the development, monitoring and targeting of vulnerable households by public policy in Bangladesh.
Pryer
Jane A
JA
Royal Free and University College Medical School, University College London, Department of Primary Care and Population Sciences, Royal Free Campus, Rowland Hill Street, UK. j.pryer@pcps.ucl.ac.uk
Rogers
Stephen
S
Normand
Charles
C
Rahman
Ataur
A
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011204:Poverty Areas; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014504:Urban Health