Abstract

This paper generates and analyses survey data on inequalities in mortality among infants and children aged under five years by consumption in Brazil, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nepal, Nicaragua, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa, and Viet Nam. The data were obtained from the Living Standards Measurement Study and the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey. Mortality rates were estimated directly where complete fertility histories were available and indirectly otherwise. Mortality distributions were compared between countries by means of concentration curves and concentration indices: dominance checks were carried out for all pairwise intercountry comparisons; standard errors were calculated for the concentration indices; and tests of intercountry differences in inequality were performed.

PIP:

Analyzed is survey data on inequalities among infants and children under age 5 years by consumption in Brazil, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nepal, Nicaragua, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa, and Vietnam. Data were gathered from the Living Standards Measurement Study and Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey. Mortality rates were estimated directly where complete fertility histories were available. Comparisons of mortality distributions between countries by means of concentration curves and concentration indices: dominance checks, standard errors, and tests of inter-country differences in inequality were performed. The analysis revealed that the application of concentration curves and indices to the data showed that inequalities in infant and under age 5 years mortality favor the better off, and that these inequalities vary between countries. Under age 5 years mortality inequalities were especially high in Brazil and rather high in Nicaragua and the Philippines. They were lower in Cote d'Ivoire, Nepal, and South Africa, but higher in these countries than in Ghana, Pakistan, and Vietnam.