IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0139458.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Overcoming Stagnation in the Levels and Distribution of Child Mortality: The Case of the Philippines

Author

Listed:
  • Raoul Bermejo III
  • Sonja Firth
  • Andrew Hodge
  • Eliana Jimenez-Soto
  • Willibald Zeck

Abstract

Background: Health-related within-country inequalities continue to be a matter of great interest and concern to both policy makers and researchers. This study aims to assess the level and the distribution of child mortality outcomes in the Philippines across geographical and socioeconomic indicators. Methodology: Data on 159,130 children ever borne were analysed from five waves of the Philippine Demographic and Health Survey. Direct estimation was used to construct under-five and neonatal mortality rates for the period 1980–2013. Rate differences and ratios, and where possible, slope and relative indices of inequality were calculated to measure disparities on absolute and relative scales. Stratification was undertaken by levels of rural/urban location, island groups and household wealth. Findings: National under-five and neonatal mortality rates have shown considerable albeit differential reductions since 1980. Recently released data suggests that neonatal mortality has declined following a period of stagnation. Declines in under-five mortality have been accompanied by decreases in wealth and geography-related absolute inequalities. However, relative inequalities for the same markers have remained stable over time. For neonates, mixed evidence suggests that absolute and relative inequalities have remained stable or may have risen. Conclusion: In addition to continued reductions in under-five mortality, new data suggests that the Philippines have achieved success in addressing the commonly observed stagnated trend in neonatal mortality. This success has been driven by economic improvement since 2006 as well as efforts to implement a nationwide universal health care campaign. Yet, such patterns, nonetheless, accorded with persistent inequalities, particularly on a relative scale. A continued focus on addressing universal coverage, the influence of decentralisation and armed conflict, and issues along the continuum of care is advocated.

Suggested Citation

  • Raoul Bermejo III & Sonja Firth & Andrew Hodge & Eliana Jimenez-Soto & Willibald Zeck, 2015. "Overcoming Stagnation in the Levels and Distribution of Child Mortality: The Case of the Philippines," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(10), pages 1-13, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0139458
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0139458
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0139458
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0139458&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0139458?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Frances Stewart, 2003. "Conflict and the Millennium Development Goals," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(3), pages 325-351.
    2. Kozhimannil, Katy Backes & Valera, Madeleine R. & Adams, Alyce S. & Ross-Degnan, Dennis, 2009. "The population-level impacts of a national health insurance program and franchise midwife clinics on achievement of prenatal and delivery care standards in the Philippines," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(1), pages 55-64, September.
    3. Sam Harper & Nicholas B King & Meredith E Young, 2013. "Impact of Selective Evidence Presentation on Judgments of Health Inequality Trends: An Experimental Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(5), pages 1-7, May.
    4. World Bank, 2011. "Philippine Health Sector Review," World Bank Publications - Reports 27397, The World Bank Group.
    5. Mackenbach, Johan P. & Kunst, Anton E., 1997. "Measuring the magnitude of socio-economic inequalities in health: An overview of available measures illustrated with two examples from Europe," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 44(6), pages 757-771, March.
    6. Andrew Hodge & Sonja Firth & Tiara Marthias & Eliana Jimenez-Soto, 2014. "Location Matters: Trends in Inequalities in Child Mortality in Indonesia. Evidence from Repeated Cross-Sectional Surveys," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(7), pages 1-10, July.
    7. Eliana Jimenez-Soto & Jo Durham & Andrew Hodge, 2014. "Entrenched Geographical and Socioeconomic Disparities in Child Mortality: Trends in Absolute and Relative Inequalities in Cambodia," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(10), pages 1-9, October.
    8. Balisacan, Arsenio M. & Hill, Hal (ed.), 2003. "The Philippine Economy: Development, Policies, and Challenges," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780195158984.
    9. World Bank, 2013. "Philippines Conditional Cash Transfer Program : Impact Evaluation 2012," World Bank Publications - Reports 13244, The World Bank Group.
    10. Van de Poel, Ellen & Van Doorslaer, Eddy & O’Donnell, Owen, 2012. "Measurement of inequity in health care with heterogeneous response of use to need," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 676-689.
    11. Aleli D Kraft & Kim-Huong Nguyen & Eliana Jimenez-Soto & Andrew Hodge, 2013. "Stagnant Neonatal Mortality and Persistent Health Inequality in Middle-Income Countries: A Case Study of the Philippines," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(1), pages 1-12, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Fatine Ezbakhe & Agustí Pérez Foguet, 2020. "Child mortality levels and trends: A new compositional approach," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 43(43), pages 1263-1296.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Eliana Jimenez-Soto & Jo Durham & Andrew Hodge, 2014. "Entrenched Geographical and Socioeconomic Disparities in Child Mortality: Trends in Absolute and Relative Inequalities in Cambodia," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(10), pages 1-9, October.
    2. Andrew Hodge & Sonja Firth & Tiara Marthias & Eliana Jimenez-Soto, 2014. "Location Matters: Trends in Inequalities in Child Mortality in Indonesia. Evidence from Repeated Cross-Sectional Surveys," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(7), pages 1-10, July.
    3. Fleurbaey, Marc & Schokkaert, Erik, 2009. "Unfair inequalities in health and health care," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 73-90, January.
    4. Okabe, Masayoshi, 2016. "Gender-preferential intergenerational patterns in primary educational attainment: An econometric approach to a case in rural Mindanao, the Philippines," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 125-142.
    5. Hwa-Kyung Lim & Young-Ho Khang, 2019. "Quantifying the impact of reducing socioeconomic inequalities in modifiable risk factors on mortality and mortality inequalities in South Korea," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 64(4), pages 585-594, May.
    6. Fanny Janssen & Anthe van den Hende & Joop de Beer & Leo van Wissen, 2016. "Sigma and beta convergence in regional mortality: A case study of the Netherlands," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 35(4), pages 81-116.
    7. Martinico-Perez, Marianne Faith G. & Schandl, Heinz & Fishman, Tomer & Tanikawa, Hiroki, 2018. "The Socio-Economic Metabolism of an Emerging Economy: Monitoring Progress of Decoupling of Economic Growth and Environmental Pressures in the Philippines," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 155-166.
    8. Yoshiko Nagano, 2007. "National Accounts in Philippine Economic History: A Preliminary Report on Data Gathering and Research Trends," Hi-Stat Discussion Paper Series d07-220, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    9. Natasha Wood & David Bann & Rebecca Hardy & Catharine Gale & Alissa Goodman & Claire Crawford & Mai Stafford, 2017. "Childhood socioeconomic position and adult mental wellbeing: Evidence from four British birth cohort studies," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(10), pages 1-13, October.
    10. Kate Birnie & Rachel Cooper & Richard M Martin & Diana Kuh & Avan Aihie Sayer & Beatriz E Alvarado & Antony Bayer & Kaare Christensen & Sung-il Cho & Cyrus Cooper & Janie Corley & Leone Craig & Ian J , 2011. "Childhood Socioeconomic Position and Objectively Measured Physical Capability Levels in Adulthood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(1), pages 1-13, January.
    11. Teresa Leão & Inês Campos-Matos & Clare Bambra & Giuliano Russo & Julian Perelman, 2018. "Welfare states, the Great Recession and health: Trends in educational inequalities in self-reported health in 26 European countries," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(2), pages 1-14, February.
    12. Hannelore Grande & Patrick Deboosere & Hadewijch Vandenheede, 2013. "Evolution of educational inequalities in mortality among young adults in an urban setting," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 58(6), pages 825-835, December.
    13. Wim Van Lancker & Joris Ghysels, 2013. "Great expectations, but how to achieve them? Explaining patterns of inequality in childcare use across 31 developed countries," Working Papers 1305, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp.
    14. García-Gómez, Pilar & Hernández-Quevedo, Cristina & Jiménez-Rubio, Dolores & Oliva-Moreno, Juan, 2015. "Inequity in long-term care use and unmet need: Two sides of the same coin," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 147-158.
    15. Green, Mark A., 2013. "The equalisation hypothesis and changes in geographical inequalities of age based mortality in England, 2002–2004 to 2008–2010," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 93-98.
    16. Hal Hill & Budy Resosudarmo & Yogi Vidyattama, 2008. "Indonesia'S Changing Economic Geography," Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(3), pages 407-435.
    17. Knott, R. & Lorgelly, P. & Black, N. & Hollingsworth, B., 2016. "Differential item functioning in the EQ-5D: An exploratory analysis using anchoring vignettes," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 16/14, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    18. Jesus Felipe & Arnelyn Abdon & Utsav Kumar, 2012. "Tracking the Middle-income Trap: What Is It, Who Is in It, and Why?," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_715, Levy Economics Institute.
    19. Kusuma, Dian & Cohen, Jessica & McConnell, Margaret & Berman, Peter, 2016. "Can cash transfers improve determinants of maternal mortality? Evidence from the household and community programs in Indonesia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 10-20.
    20. Madhavi Bajekal & Shaun Scholes & Martin O’Flaherty & Rosalind Raine & Paul Norman & Simon Capewell, 2013. "Unequal Trends in Coronary Heart Disease Mortality by Socioeconomic Circumstances, England 1982–2006: An Analytical Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(3), pages 1-15, March.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0139458. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.