Determinants of infant and child mortality: A Philippine study
Ballweg, J., A.; Pagtolun-An, I., G.
Genus 48(3-4): 129-150
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0016-6987 DOI: 10.2307/29789108Document Number: 327324
Using bivariate and multivariate analyses, this study examines the impact of behavioral, biological, health, and socio-economic factors associated with infant and child mortality. Data for the study were collected from the Northern Mindanao region of the Philippines. Parental investment and health factors were shown to be the most crucial determinants of infant and child mortality. As expected, the greater the parental investment on a child, the greater the chance that the child would survive to age five, regardless of the effects of biological, health and socio- economic factors. Similarly, effects of health factors were found to be independent of other factors. Findings of this study demostrate that, in order to survive, infants and children require an investment of affection, care, time and resources from parents. The absence of adequate investment by the parents places the life of the child in jeopardy.