Socio-economic inequality in the occurrence of Low Birth Weight in Ethiopia: analysis of the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic Health and Survey data

Gebretsadik Shibre | Bio
Addis Ababa University
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  • Submited: August 15, 2018
  • Published: December 26, 2018

Abstract

Background: Low birth weight (LBW) occurrence has steadily risen in Ethiopia over the last five years, from 11% in 2011 to around 13% currently. Understanding the socio-economic gradient involved in LBW occurrence is vital to plan equitable strategies to help eliminate unjust inequalities in LBW between the poor and rich.

Objective: The study aims to investigate socioeconomic inequalities in LBW occurrence between poor and rich individuals in Ethiopia.

Method: The dataset for the analysis came from the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey. The prepared version of the dataset was transferred to RStudio software for analysis. Socio-economic inequalities in the occurrence of LBW were measured through the computation of a concentration index using the ‘decomp’ package. Decomposition analysis was done to evaluate the percentage contributions of the explanatory variables to the observed inequalities in LBW.

Result: LBW appeared to be slightly concentrated among poorer families. The disparity in LBW along the socio-economic spectrum was mainly accounted for by differences in ethnicities.  

Conclusion and recommendation: LBW was concentrated among the poor in the studied population. The observed disparity in the distribution of LBW across wealth categories was majorly attributed to the uneven distribution of LBW-reducing strategies among ethnicities. Equitable strategies that can function well in all ethnic groups are recommended to end the poor-rich inequality in the prevalence of LBW.

Keywords: Low Birth Weight; socio-economic inequality; Ethiopia

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How to Cite
Shibre, G. (2018). Socio-economic inequality in the occurrence of Low Birth Weight in Ethiopia: analysis of the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic Health and Survey data. Ethiopian Medical Journal, 57(1). Retrieved from https://emjema.org/index.php/EMJ/article/view/1074

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