title: The African Development Bank and women's health: a cross-national analysis of structural adjustment and maternal mortality.
abstract: We conduct a cross-national analysis to test the hypothesis that African Development Bank (AfDB) structural adjustment lending adversely impacts maternal mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. We analyze data for thirty-five Sub-Saharan African nations with up to four time points (1990, 1995, 2000, and 2005) with generalized least squares random effects regression models and modified two-step Heckman models that correct for potential endogeneity regarding whether or not a Sub-Saharan African nations receives an AfDB structural adjustment loan. We find support for our hypothesis that indicates that Sub-Saharan African nations that receive an AfDB structural adjustment loan tend to have higher levels of maternal mortality than Sub-Saharan African nations that do not receive such a loan. This finding remains stable even when controlling for endogeneity. We conclude by talking about the theoretical and methodological implications along with possible directions for future research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, State University of New York at Stony Brook, United States.
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Coburn
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, State University of New York at Geneseo, United States.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Restivo
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, State University of New York at Stony Brook, United States. Electronic address: john.shandra@stonybrook.edu.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Shandra
mesh_terms: D017954:Africa South of the Sahara; D003906:Developing Countries; D057217:Economic Development; D005260:Female; D005381:Financing, Organized; D006801:Humans; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D011247:Pregnancy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016387:Women's Health
keywords: Adjustment; African Development Bank; Maternal mortality; Women’s health