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Socio-economic differentials in birth masculinity in China
Christophe Z Guilmoto1, Qiang Ren
1IRD-CEPED, Paris.
Development and Change
|December 20, 2011
Summary
China
Area of Science:
- Demography
- Sociology
- Public Health
Background:
- The sex ratio at birth (SRB) is a key demographic indicator.
- Understanding factors influencing SRB is crucial for population studies.
- Previous assumptions about China's SRB patterns need re-evaluation.
Observation:
- Data from 2000 and 2005 reveal a non-linear relationship between SRB and socio-economic status (SES) in China.
- Both poorest and richest households exhibit lower SRB, forming an inverted-U pattern.
- This pattern contrasts with India's SRB trends and prior expectations for China.
Findings:
- The observed inverted-U SRB pattern in China is robust across multivariate analyses.
- Key covariates like ethnicity, fertility, migration, age, and parity do not alter this pattern.
- The study identifies a unique socio-economic gradient influencing SRB in China.
Implications:
- Economic development and increased socio-economic mobility may normalize China's SRB.
- Findings challenge universal models of SRB determinants.
- Policy interventions targeting socio-economic factors could impact sex ratios at birth.
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