Determinants of household well-being and mapping vulnerability in Bangladesh: evidence from BDHS 2022 data

Household well-being is a multidimensional construct shaped by social, economic, environmental, and health-related factors. Bangladesh has made notable development gains, but persistent vulnerabilities remain, particularly in rural and marginalized areas. This study aimed to construct a multidimensional well-being index and assess the determinants of household vulnerability using nationally representative data.

We analyzed data from 18,954 households from the 2022 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS). A multidimensional well-being index was developed using principal component analysis (PCA) across six domains: nutritional status, disease incidence, household and environmental conditions, financial access, digital access, and maternal health service utilization. Vulnerability was defined using a threshold-based classification derived from this index. Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) and multivariable logistic regression models were applied to identify key determinants of vulnerability. Geographic mapping was used to explore spatial disparities.

Out of 18,945 households, more than half (57.4%) were classified as highly vulnerable. Male-headed households had over three times higher odds of being vulnerable than female-headed ones (AOR: 3.34; 95% CI: 3.01-3.71). Higher education in respondents was strongly protective; households where women had primary, secondary, and higher education had 34% (AOR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.59-0.74), 54% (AOR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.41-0.52), and 83.5% (AOR: 0.17; 95% CI: 0.14-0.19) lower odds of vulnerability compared to no education. Urban households also had significantly lower odds of vulnerability (AOR: 0.626; 95% CI: 0.59-0.67). Districts in the northern and southeastern regions showed the highest proportions of vulnerable households. Households in Mymensingh (AOR: 1.32; 95% CI: 1.16-1.51), Rajshahi (AOR: 1.26; 95% CI: 1.10-1.43), and Rangpur (AOR: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.33-1.73) divisions had higher odds of vulnerability, while those in Dhaka (AOR: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.56-0.72) and Chattogram (AOR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.75-0.96) had significantly lower odds.

Multidimensional well-being in Bangladesh is unevenly distributed across population subgroups and regions. By constructing a multidimensional well-being index, this study moves beyond traditional single-indicator poverty measures and provides a more comprehensive and spatially explicit assessment of household vulnerability in Bangladesh. Targeted interventions should address regional disparities and social determinants to foster equitable development across Bangladesh.