Networks and knowledge: Women's empowerment, networks, and health information-seeking behavior in rural Guatemala

Abstract

Women in rural communities, with low access to healthcare and education, often rely on community-based networks, which can be an important source of knowledge, support, and resources. These networks can help women overcome barriers such as illiteracy in learning about child health. This paper uses primary data from Highland Guatemala to describe women's participation in health information networks, particularly as it relates to their decision-making power within the household. This study combines a fixed effects model with an instrumental variables approach to estimate the relationship between a multidimensional measure of empowerment, the Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI), and sources of health information. The findings suggest that increased bargaining power increases a woman's ability to participate in informal informational networks. The implication of this finding is that an increase in a woman's empowerment expands her social support network. The results also show that an increase in participation in more formal networks is what leads to greater child health knowledge, indicating that where and how women learn about child health matters.