Economic Disparity and Child Survival in Cambodia

Abstract

Despite improvements in child survival in recent decades, levels of infant and child mortality remain unacceptably high, particularly among the poor in developing countries recovering from recent wars and civil unrests. Using information on 8498 childbirths in five years preceding the 2000 Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey, this study measured the association between economic disparity and infant mortality using multivariate Weibull regression. Results indicate that children born in the poorest 40% households were more than twice as likely to die during infancy as those born in the richest 20% households, even after controlling for pregnancy care, birth weight, household living conditions, and other factors. Children born in the middle-income households also had significantly higher mortality risks. Not receiving antenatal care and low birth weight were associated with an increased risk. Also, boys had a higher risk than girls. The study concludes that poverty is strongly negatively associated with infant survival in Cambodia.