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Measuring Poverty in Southern India: A Comparison of Socio-Economic Scales Evaluated against Childhood Stunting

Author

Listed:
  • Deepthi Kattula
  • Srinivasan Venugopal
  • Vasanthakumar Velusamy
  • Rajiv Sarkar
  • Victoria Jiang
  • Mahasampath Gowri S.
  • Ankita Henry
  • Jordanna Devi Deosaran
  • Jayaprakash Muliyil
  • Gagandeep Kang

Abstract

Introduction: Socioeconomic status (SES) scales measure poverty, wealth and economic inequality in a population to guide appropriate economic and public health policies. Measurement of poverty and comparison of material deprivation across nations is a challenge. This study compared four SES scales which have been used locally and internationally and evaluated them against childhood stunting, used as an indicator of chronic deprivation, in urban southern India. Methods: A door-to-door survey collected information on socio-demographic indicators such as education, occupation, assets, income and living conditions in a semi-urban slum area in Vellore, Tamil Nadu in southern India. A total of 7925 households were categorized by four SES scales—Kuppuswamy scale, Below Poverty Line scale (BPL), the modified Kuppuswamy scale, and the multidimensional poverty index (MDPI) and the level of agreement compared between scales. Logistic regression was used to test the association of SES scales with stunting. Findings: The Kuppuswamy, BPL, MDPI and modified Kuppuswamy scales classified 7.1%, 1%, 5.5%, and 55.3% of families as low SES respectively, indicating conservative estimation of low SES by the BPL and MDPI scales in comparison with the modified Kuppuswamy scale, which had the highest sensitivity (89%). Children from low SES classified by all scales had higher odds of stunting, but the level of agreement between scales was very poor ranging from 1%-15%. Conclusion: There is great non-uniformity between existing SES scales and cautious interpretation of SES scales is needed in the context of social, cultural, and economic realities.

Suggested Citation

  • Deepthi Kattula & Srinivasan Venugopal & Vasanthakumar Velusamy & Rajiv Sarkar & Victoria Jiang & Mahasampath Gowri S. & Ankita Henry & Jordanna Devi Deosaran & Jayaprakash Muliyil & Gagandeep Kang, 2016. "Measuring Poverty in Southern India: A Comparison of Socio-Economic Scales Evaluated against Childhood Stunting," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(8), pages 1-13, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0160706
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160706
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sabina Alkire, Maria Emma Santos, 2010. "Acute Multidimensional Poverty: A New Index for Developing Countries," OPHI Working Papers 38, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford.
    2. Pradhan, Menno & Sahn, David E. & Younger, Stephen D., 2003. "Decomposing world health inequality," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(2), pages 271-293, March.
    3. Stanislav Kolenikov & Gustavo Angeles, 2009. "Socioeconomic Status Measurement With Discrete Proxy Variables: Is Principal Component Analysis A Reliable Answer?," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 55(1), pages 128-165, March.
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