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Does biological relatedness affect child survival?

Author

Listed:
  • David Bishai

    (University of Hong Kong)

  • El Daw Suliman

    (Johns Hopkins University)

  • Heena Brahmbhatt

    (Johns Hopkins University)

  • Fred Wabwire-Mangen

    (Makerere University)

  • Godfrey Kigozi

    (Makerere University)

  • Nelson Sewankambo

    (Makerere University)

  • David Serwadda

    (Makerere University)

  • Maria Wawer

    (Johns Hopkins University)

  • Ron Gray

    (Johns Hopkins University)

Abstract

Objective: We studied child survival in Rakai, Uganda where many children are fostered out or orphaned. Methods: Biological relatedness is measured as the average of the Wright’s coefficients between each household member and the child. Instrumental variables for fostering include proportion of adult males in household, age and gender of household head. Control variables include SES, religion, polygyny, household size, child age, child birth size, and child HIV status. Results: Presence of both parents in the household increased the odds of survival by 28%. After controlling for the endogeneity of child placement decisions in a multivariate model we found that lower biological relatedness of a child was associated with statistically significant reductions in child survival. The effects of biological relatedness on child survival tend to be stronger for both HIV- and HIV+ children of HIV+ mothers. Conclusions: Reductions in the numbers of close relatives caring for children of HIV+ mothers reduce child survival.

Suggested Citation

  • David Bishai & El Daw Suliman & Heena Brahmbhatt & Fred Wabwire-Mangen & Godfrey Kigozi & Nelson Sewankambo & David Serwadda & Maria Wawer & Ron Gray, 2003. "Does biological relatedness affect child survival?," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 8(9), pages 261-278.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:8:y:2003:i:9
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2003.8.9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Anne Case & Christina Paxson & Joseph Ableidinger, 2002. "Orphans in Africa," NBER Working Papers 9213, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Sear, Rebecca & Steele, Fiona & McGregor, Ian A. & Mace, Ruth, 2002. "The effects of kin on child mortality in rural Gambia," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 247, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Akresh, Richard, 2004. "Adjusting Household Structure: School Enrollment Impacts of Child Fostering in Burkina Faso," Center Discussion Papers 28521, Yale University, Economic Growth Center.
    2. Richard Akresh, 2005. "Risk, Network Quality, and Family Structure: Child Fostering Decisions in Burkina Faso," Working Papers 902, Economic Growth Center, Yale University.
    3. Ariyo, Esther & Mortelmans, Dimitri & Wouters, Edwin, 2019. "The African child in kinship care: A systematic review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 178-187.
    4. Kadiyala, Suneetha & Quisumbing, Agnes & Rogers, Beatrice & Webb, Patrick, 2009. "The Impact of Prime Age Adult Mortality on Child Survival and Growth in Rural Ethiopia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(6), pages 1116-1128, June.
    5. Asiamah, Selloane & Kraybill, David S. & Thompson, Stanley R., 2005. "Does Orphan Status Affect Primary School Attendance? An Analysis of Household Survey Data from Uganda," 2005 Annual meeting, July 24-27, Providence, RI 19489, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    6. Anne Case & Christina Paxson & Joseph Ableidinger, 2004. "Orphans in Africa: parental death, poverty, and school enrollment," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 41(3), pages 483-508, August.
    7. Laura Porter & Lingxin Hao & David Bishai & David Serwadda & Maria Wawer & Thomas Lutalo & Ronald Gray, 2004. "Hiv status and union dissolution in Sub-saharan Africa: The case of Rakai, Uganda," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 41(3), pages 465-482, August.
    8. Mussa, Richard, 2009. "Household economic status, schooling costs, and schooling bias against non-biological children in Malawi," MPRA Paper 15855, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 21 Jun 2009.
    9. Roby, Jini L. & Erickson, Lance & Nagaishi, Chanel, 2016. "Education for children in sub-Saharan Africa: Predictors impacting school attendance," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 110-116.
    10. Rachel Goldberg & Susan Short, 2012. "“The Luggage that isn’t Theirs is Too Heavy…”: Understandings of Orphan Disadvantage in Lesotho," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 31(1), pages 67-83, February.
    11. Ainsworth, Martha & Filmer, Deon, 2006. "Inequalities in children's schooling: AIDS, orphanhood, poverty, and gender," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 34(6), pages 1099-1128, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    HIV/AIDS; child survival; orphans; fostering; Uganda;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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