Household influences on childhood mortality: Evidence from historical and recent mortality trends

Abstract

In recent years there has been a spate of cross‐sectional research, mainly Unking maternal education and child mortality experience, to suggest that family factors, centering around maternal attitudes, knowledge, and abilities, are important determinants of childhood mortality levels. This paper examines another line of evidence to support this hypothesis—that derived from secular trends in mortality. By examining differences in the age structure of mortality declines between the developed and the developing countries, and within these two groups, and reviewing the major influences on overall mortality declines in these two groups of countries, we attempt to link falls in childhood mortality with social changes, especially at the individual or behavioral level as measured by female education.