Social Determinants on Child Health in Africa

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Tim Heaton, Sociology

Overall Objectives:

Outcomes of this project exceeded our goals both in terms of research papers produced and in terms of preparing students for graduate school. The Proposed outcomes were as follows:

Proposed Learning outcomes for students:

  1. Become familiar with existing research on child health and social determinants in Africa.
  2. Learn to use DHS data and appropriate statistical methods to examine the impact of social determinants on child mortality and nutritional status in Africa. (The DHS data is public use data and can be downloaded from the Measure DHS website without charge).
  3. Identify the pathways through which social determinants influence child health including good health practice, health knowledge, and access to health care.
  4. Identify countries where the influence of social determinants have diminished and explore the possible policies and broader social changes associated with shifts in the importance of social determinants.
  5. Expected outcome: Poster presentations for the Student Mentored Conference in the College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences (April, 2013), and papers for presentation at academic conferences and for submission to academic journals.

The students who participated in the project prepared papers demonstrating that they met objectives 1-4. They did not do this in time for the April Student Mentored Conference but each of these papers was presented at a national conference. One paper has been published in an academic journal, two of the papers have been submitted to academic journals and the other two are being prepared for submission. The conference information is:

2013 ANNUAL SOCIOLOGY OF DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE
THEME: “THE FUTURE OF DEVELOPMENT”
October 24-25, UNIVERSITY OF UTAH, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH

  • “Social Inequality and Children’s Health in Africa.” Tim Heaton, Hayley Pierce and Benjamin Crookston, Brigham Young University . This paper is under review by Sociology of Development.
  • “Increasing Maternal Healthcare Use in Rwanda.” Hayley Pierce, Tim Heaton and John Hoffmann, Brigham Young University. This paper was subsequently published in Social Science and Medicine.
  • “Family Structure and School Enrollment in Africa.” Tim Heaton, Camille McAlmont and Nicole Okoren, Brigham Young University; Acheampong Amoateng, North-West University; Ishmael Kalule-Sabiti, North-West University; Akosua Darkwah, University of Ghana. This paper is under review by the Journal of Family Issues.
  • “Pathways Linking Maternal Education and Child Survival in 10 African Countries.” Ashley Larsen, Stephanie Hedges, Renata Forste, Brigham Young University

2015 Annual Meetings of the Population Association of America, April 30-May 2, San Diego, California.

  • “Caregiver Decision-making: Responses to Child Illness.” Hayley Pierce, U of California- Berkeley, Ashley Larsen, Penn State U, and Renata Forste, Brigham Young University

Mentoring Environment

We held meetings each week as planned. Each student worked with one or more faculty member and two of them worked as a research team. Data and computer resources were available so that students were able to prepare their research projects.

Students who participated.

Initially six students signed up, but one dropped out early on. The five students who participated fully were Hayley Pierce, Nicole Okoren, Camille McAllmont, Ashley Larsen and Stephanie Hedges. The papers they presented are listed above. Hayley Pierce is currently a Ph.D. student at UC Berkley and Ashley Larsen is a Ph. D. student at Penn State. Participation in this project helped them get into graduate school.

Findings

Collectively the papers document great inequality in children’s health and schooling associated with family structure and family socio-economic status. Child outcomes can be enhanced by increasing maternal education, increasing utilization of basic health care, and improving the status of women in the national context.

Funding

All of the funds were spent as student wages to pay the students for some of the work that they did on the projects. No other expenses were incurred.