title: Changes in socioeconomic inequality in Indonesian children's cognitive function from 2000 to 2007: a decomposition analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Measuring social inequalities in health is common; however, research examining inequalities in child cognitive function is more limited. We investigated household expenditure-related inequality in children's cognitive function in Indonesia in 2000 and 2007, the contributors to inequality in both time periods, and changes in the contributors to cognitive function inequalities between the periods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the 2000 and 2007 round of the Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS) were used. Study participants were children aged 7-14 years (n = 6179 and n = 6680 in 2000 and 2007, respectively). The relative concentration index (RCI) was used to measure the magnitude of inequality. Contribution of various contributors to inequality was estimated by decomposing the concentration index in 2000 and 2007. Oaxaca-type decomposition was used to estimate changes in contributors to inequality between 2000 and 2007.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Expenditure inequality decreased by 45% from an RCI = 0.29 (95% CI 0.22 to 0.36) in 2000 to 0.16 (95% CI 0.13 to 0.20) in 2007 but the burden of poorer cognitive function was higher among the disadvantaged in both years. The largest contributors to inequality in child cognitive function were inequalities in per capita expenditure, use of improved sanitation and maternal high school attendance. Changes in maternal high school participation (27%), use of improved sanitation (25%) and per capita expenditures (18%) were largely responsible for the decreasing inequality in children's cognitive function between 2000 and 2007.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Government policy to increase basic education coverage for women along with economic growth may have influenced gains in children's cognitive function and reductions in inequalities in Indonesia.
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Amelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maika
authors.forename: Murthy N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Mittinty
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brinkman
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.forename: Elan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Satriawan
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lynch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006798:Housing / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D007214:Indonesia; D008297:Male; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors