Child Health Outcome Inequalities in Nepal

Abstract

This study aimed to quantify child health outcome inequalities in neonatal death and explore major contributors to the inequalities for the periods 1991-1995, 1996-2000, 2001-2005, 2006-2010 and 2011-2015 in Nepal using data from Nepal Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016 respectively. Concentration index was used to measure the inequalities and decomposition of the index was performed to explore major sources of the inequalities. Results showed that there were substantial neonatal death inequalities between the poor and better-off which concentrated more on disadvantaged groups for all survey periods in spite of highly prioritized newborn policies. The neonatal inequality was slightly narrowed in the second survey but worsened continuously for the last three surveys. Decomposition analysis evidenced that mother education was the largest contributor to the inequalities though there was an increasing trend of women literacy rate. Other major contributors were ecological zones and birth order. Results obtained from this study would be useful information for health policymakers in Nepal.