MATERNAL EDUCATION AND CHILD SURVIVAL - A COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF SURVEYDATA FROM 17 COUNTRIES

A uniform analytical methodology was applied to survey data from 17 de veloping countries with the aim of addressing a series of questions re garding the positive statistical association between maternal educatio n and the health and survival of children under age two. As has been o bserved previously, the education advantage in survival was less prono unced during than after the neonatal period. Strong but varying educat ion effects on postneonatal risk, undernutrition during the 3-23 month period, and non-use of health services were shown-although a large pa rt of these associations are the result of education's strong link to household economics. Differential use of basic health services, though closely tied to a mother's educational level, does little to explain the education advantage in child health and survival. However, the iss ue of the actual quality of services measured in the DHS is raised. Ot her issues concerning the roles of the pattern of family formation and differential physical access to health services are explored and disc ussed.