Transitioning Maternal Household Position and under-Five Mortality in Nigeria: A Cohort Analysis

Hassan Ogunwemimo, Obafemi Awolowo University

Poor child health outcomes including Under-five mortality (U5M) remains high in Nigeria and they are largely caused by illnesses which through appropriate childcare practices are preventable. Mothers, whose traditional roles in many developing countries including Nigeria, are to cater for children’s healthcare needs are embracing positions beyond family care. This transition affects child health and survival tendencies. This study thus examined the influence of changing maternal household position (MHP) on U5M. Adopting a cohort panel design using the three most recent Birth Recode versions of Nigeria Demographic and Health Surveys, Cox proportional hazard regression models were fitted in the survival analyses. Findings revealed that adjusted or otherwise, except in 2008, models in 2003 and 2013 were weak on significance of influence of MHP on U5M. Despite the improvement in MHP however, children with Fairly household-positioned mothers had the least risks of U5M while other two extreme categories were worse.