R. Bairagi et Mk. Chowdhury, SOCIOECONOMIC AND ANTHROPOMETRIC STATUS, AND MORTALITY OF YOUNG-CHILDREN IN RURAL BANGLADESH, International journal of epidemiology, 23(6), 1994, pp. 1179-1184
This article investigates the interrelationship of socioeconemic statu
s, anthropometric status and mortality of young children in rural Bang
ladesh, Data for this study come from Matlab, the vital registration a
rea of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangl
adesh, where anthropometric and socioeconomic data concerning 1976 chi
ldren aged 12-23 months were collected in November-December 1975. From
these data, anthropometric indices are created, and the relationships
of socioeconomic status measured by dwelling space and anthropometric
indices with mortality during the 2 years following measurement of th
ese children are investigated. It is found that both socioeconomic sta
tus and anthropometric indices are related to mortality. However, the
relationship of anthropometric indices is much stronger. Among the ant
hropometric indices considered, weight-for-age, height-for-age and arm
circumference reflect socioeconomic status better than weight-for-hei
ght does; and, the first three indices are equally good, and individua
lly better than weight-for-height, as predictors of mortality. The deg
ree of the effect of socioeconomic status (dwelling space) on mortalit
y explained by the best performing anthropometric index, weight-for-ag
e, was not more than 25%. It is concluded that an anthropometric index
that can classify socioeconomic status more efficiently is a better p
redictor of 2-year mortality than any other anthropometric index.