Inter-district wealth-based differentials and inequality in infant mortality in India

Pages: 442-449
Malay Das (Department of Economics, Naba Barrackpore Prafulla Chandra Mahavidyalaya, New Barrackpore, Kolkata )

Using the data from District Level Household and Facility Survey-2 (2002-04) District Level Household and Facility Survey-3 (2007-08) and 61st round of National Sample Survey (2004-05) this paper examined the inter-district differentials and inequality in infant mortality rate (IMR) in India based on household wealth status. The life table method was used to estimate the IMR. The Lorenz curve was used to examine the extent of inequality in IMR. Multivariate technique was applied to understand the factors determining district-level variation in infant mortality in India. Results suggest that among economically backward districts, 33% districts had IMR of above 65 compared to 7% in economically better-off districts in India. On the contrary, more than 40% economically well-off districts had IMR of less than 30 compared to only 8% in economically backward districts. The degree inequality in IMR was higher among economically backward districts compared to economically well-off districts in India. The WI is a significant predictor of IMR and it alone accounts for 16% of the explained variation (R2=0.16) in infant mortality. Among the most significant factors, availability of having toilet facility has strong bearing on IMR. Regional location was also found to have a strong influence on IMR.