##manager.scheduler.building##: Velodromo - Bocconi University
##manager.scheduler.room##: N07
Date: 2019-01-25 09:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Last modified: 2018-12-26
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to describe the trend of infant mortality in Africa using DHS data at a country level collected in the surveys from 1986 to 2016 (44 countries for 137 surveys, reduced to 121 cause missing data). During this period, infant mortality rates are generally declining, even if in a few countries this process is only began.
We analyze, together with infant mortality data, a series of socio-demographic parameters (TFR, contraceptive prevalence, unmet need, age at marriage, stunted children, underweight children, percentage of children born at household, immunization, percentage of women with a secondary level of education, percentage of households with electricity) which literature has shown to be correlated with infant mortality. We carry out a cluster analysis to form groups of countries homogeneous with respect to the time pattern of mortality and covariates.
Choosing four clusters and using the aggregative method, we obtain the pattern of the countries on the road of demographic transition. The countries having more than one survey show generally a coherent context with decline of infant mortality, that is a lower level of TFR, a higher value of contraception and values of the other parameters in line with these trends.