Education and child mortality in Egypt

Abstract

This paper analyzes the relative importance of education in reducing child mortality in Egypt. It uses World Fertility Survey data on various proximate determinants of child mortality for 2,599 Egyptian households. Logit analysis is used to analyze the determinants of mortality for children three and younger and five and younger separately, as well as for urban and rural households separately. The results that the number of pregnancies, the existence of a blood relationship between spouses, access to clean water, and adequate sanitation are relatively more important than other variables in directly affecting mortality. In addition, only in rural areas is the wife's education a significant factor in reducing child mortality.