Differential Sex Trends in Infant, Neonatal, and Child Mortality Before and After Decentralization in Pakistan

IF 1.6 4区医学 Q1 ANTHROPOLOGY

American Journal of Human Biology Pub Date : 2025-02-17 DOI:10.1002/ajhb.70012

Mukhtiar Hussain Ibupoto, Athar Ali Shah, Anqi Sang

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Differential sex child mortality is an important indicator of gender-based discrimination. Decentralization refers to the distribution of power from the federal to the provincial governments in Pakistan. Present research highlights the sex differential sex trends in infant, neonatal, and child mortality before and after decentralization.

Methodology

The research utilizes the four waves of the Demographic and Health Survey from 1990 to 2018, applying Cox proportional regression in STATA. The sample size includes 164 005 total live births and 24 089 deaths across all years, with 8204 neonatal, 5107 infants, and 11 778 child deaths.

Results

This study provides crucial insights into the gendered patterns of neonatal, infant, and child mortality in Pakistan before and after key policy reforms. This study reveals persistent gender disparities in neonatal, infant, and child mortality in Pakistan before and after policy reforms. While girls initially had a biological survival advantage, this diminished at higher birth orders, where they faced increased mortality risks. Despite some improvements post-reform, gender-based discrimination and son preference continue to disadvantage female children, particularly in larger families.

Conclusion

The findings highlight the need for targeted policies to address healthcare inequities and discriminatory practices. Strengthening gender-sensitive interventions is crucial to improving female child survival and achieving long-term progress in reducing mortality disparities.

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来源期刊

American Journal of Human Biology 生物-生物学

CiteScore

4.80

自引率

13.80%

发文量

124

审稿时长

4-8 weeks

期刊介绍： The American Journal of Human Biology is the Official Journal of the Human Biology Association. The American Journal of Human Biology is a bimonthly, peer-reviewed, internationally circulated journal that publishes reports of original research, theoretical articles and timely reviews, and brief communications in the interdisciplinary field of human biology. As the official journal of the Human Biology Association, the Journal also publishes abstracts of research presented at its annual scientific meeting and book reviews relevant to the field. The Journal seeks scholarly manuscripts that address all aspects of human biology, health, and disease, particularly those that stress comparative, developmental, ecological, or evolutionary perspectives. The transdisciplinary areas covered in the Journal include, but are not limited to, epidemiology, genetic variation, population biology and demography, physiology, anatomy, nutrition, growth and aging, physical performance, physical activity and fitness, ecology, and evolution, along with their interactions. The Journal publishes basic, applied, and methodologically oriented research from all areas, including measurement, analytical techniques and strategies, and computer applications in human biology. Like many other biologically oriented disciplines, the field of human biology has undergone considerable growth and diversification in recent years, and the expansion of the aims and scope of the Journal is a reflection of this growth and membership diversification. The Journal is committed to prompt review, and priority publication is given to manuscripts with novel or timely findings, and to manuscripts of unusual interest.