CASTE DIFFERENTIALS IN DEATH CLUSTERING IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN INDIAN STATES

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Demography
• Sociology

Background:

• Infant mortality remains a significant public health challenge in India.
• Caste differentials and family-level factors influence infant survival.
• Understanding unobserved heterogeneity and sibling survival linkages is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess caste differentials in family-level infant death clustering.
• To examine the impact of sibling survival prospects (scarring) and mother-level unobserved heterogeneity on infant mortality risk.
• To identify high-risk groups for targeted maternal and child health policies in central and eastern India.

Main Methods:

• Bivariate analysis to examine infant death clustering.
• Random effects logit model to capture sibling survival linkages and mother-level heterogeneity.
• Utilized micro-data from the National Family Health Survey-III (2005-06) for Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh.

Main Results:

• Significant infant death clustering observed across all caste groups and states, highest in Scheduled Castes of Jharkhand.
• Previous infant death (scarring effect) significantly increased subsequent sibling infant mortality risk, controlling for other factors.
• Caste-specific variations in the influence of scarring versus mother-level unobserved factors were identified across states.

Conclusions:

• Previous infant deaths are a critical predictor of subsequent infant mortality, indicating a 'scarring' effect.
• Both 'scarring' and unobserved maternal factors play significant roles, varying by caste and state.
• Findings inform targeted interventions for high-risk maternal and child populations to improve health indicators.