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Exploring the Potential Causal Relationship Between Health Insurance Coverage and Child Nutritional Status in
Muhammad Shahid1, Zaiba Ali2, Subuhi Khan2
1School of Insurance and Economics, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing 100029, China.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 13, 2025
Summary
Health insurance significantly improves child nutrition in Pakistan, reducing malnutrition rates. Expanding these programs is crucial for child health and development.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Health Economics
Background:
- Child malnutrition remains a significant public health issue in Pakistan.
- Understanding the impact of health insurance on nutritional status is vital for policy development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causal relationship between health insurance coverage and child nutritional status in Pakistan.
- To identify factors associated with both child malnutrition and health insurance acquisition.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) 2017-18 (n=4499 children under 5).
- Employed binary logistic regression and propensity score matching (PSM) to assess causal links and mitigate selection bias.
Main Results:
- Prevalence of stunting, underweight, and wasting were 38.13%, 23.04%, and 8.05% respectively.
- Insured children had significantly better nutritional outcomes (5% malnutrition) compared to non-insured children (43.64% malnutrition) (p<0.01).
- Health insurance, maternal education, wealth, and improved sanitation were associated with reduced child malnutrition.
Conclusions:
- Health insurance coverage is a critical determinant of improved child nutritional status in Pakistan.
- Government expansion of health insurance programs, focusing on child health and nutrition, is recommended.
Keywords:
PDHSbinary logistic regressionchild healthhealth insurance coveragenutritional statuspropensity score matchingMore Related Videos
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