Title: The mortality divide in India: the differential contributions of gender, caste, and standard of living across the life course.

POPLINE Document Number: 299884

Author(s):

Subramanian SV
Nandy S
Irving M
Gordon D
Lambert H

Source citation:

American Journal of Public Health, 2006 May;96(5):818-825.

Abstract:

We investigated the contributions of gender, caste, and standard of living to inequalities in mortality across the life course in India. We conducted a multilevel cross-sectional analysis of individual mortality, using the 1998-1999 Indian National Family Health Survey data for 529321 individuals from 26 states. Substantial mortality differentials were observed between the lowest and highest standard-of-living quintiles across all age groups, ranging from an odds ratio (OR) of 4.61 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.98, 7.13) in the age group 2 to 5 years to an OR of 1.97 (95% CI = 1.68, 2.32) in the age group 45 to 64 years. Excess mortality for girls was evident only for the age group 2 to 5 years (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.13, 1.58). Substantial caste differentials were observed at the beginning and end stages of life. Area variation in mortality is partially a result of the compositional effects of household standard of living and caste. The mortality burden, across the life course in India, falls disproportionately on economically disadvantaged and lower-caste groups. Residual state-level variation in mortality suggests an underlying ecology to the mortality divide in India. (author's)

Keywords:

India
Research Report
Epidemiologic Methods
Cross Sectional Analysis
Health Surveys
Population
Caste
Sex Factors
Standard of Living
Life Cycle
Inequalities
Mortality Determinants
Age Factors
Asia, Southern
Asia
Developing Countries
Research Methodology
Health
Social Class
Socioeconomic Status
Socioeconomic Factors
Economic Factors
Population Characteristics
Demographic Factors
Family Research
Family and Household
Sociocultural Factors
Mortality
Population Dynamics