Urban deprivation factors, maternal index and under-5 mortality in sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from 5 West African Demographic and Health Surveys

Akanni I. Akinyemi, Obafemi Awolowo University and University of the Witwatersrand
Remare Ettar, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)

The paper examined critical issues of urban context in terms of inequity as it relates to health outcomes of children. Specifically, we examined the influence of urban deprivation & mothers’ status index on U5MR in West Africa.We analyzed DHS dataset for five countries in West Africa collected within the last five years. The association of urban deprivation and maternal status with U5MR was assessed using Chi-square and Cox-proportional hazards regression. Across the five countries, place of delivery and postnatal visit were consistently significant predictor of U5MR with lower relative risk for those who delivered in either private or public hospitals. Urban deprivation index was significant across the countries (except Ghana) with a consistent pattern of lower relative risk among those least deprived. Maternal status index and household wealth tertile were significant predictors in Nigeria with lower relative risk among those with high maternal status index and those in rich category.