Effect of Maternal Education on Infant Mortality in Kenya: a Comparative Analysis of Nyanza and Central Regions

Abstract

Maternal education holds tremendous effect on child wellbeing as well as survival globally. Investing in female education is perceived to be the only powerful policy for bringing socioeconomic development in less developed countries. Currently, data gap on patterns of infant mortality exist at regional level. This study focused on comparing effect of maternal education on infant mortality in Nyanza and Central Regions. This study was based on three objectives; to determine the patterns of infant mortality by maternal education; and to establish unadjusted and adjusted effects of maternal education on infant mortality in Nyanza and Central Regions. Secondary source of data namely, KDHS 2014 was used. Analyzing data involved using the child file which contained information on individual children born to women less than 60 months prior to interview date (0-59 months). The analysis was based on 20,964 children of which 2926 were from Nyanza Region and 1420 from Central Region. The life table probability of dying from birth to 60 months per 1000 live births was utilized to analyze patterns of infant mortality by maternal education in Nyanza and Central Regions. Analysis of unadjusted as well as adjusted effects of maternal education on infant death involved utilizing logistic regression. This study revealed that patterns of infant mortality differed with maternal education levels both in Nyanza and Central Region. Mothers with secondary plus education had a lesser probability of infant deaths in comparison to mother’s primary or without education in Nyanza together with Central Regions. The study findings also showed that in Nyanza Region preceding birth interval and source of drinking water had substantial effect on infant survival. While in Central Region maternal education had significant effect on infant mortality. It is the recommendation of this study that innovative education programmes should be initiated to inspire females to accomplish at least secondary education in Nyanza as well as Central Regions. In Nyanza Region, family programmes should be intensified that encourage birth intervals of beyond 24 months. In addition, water programmes that ensure households have admission to safe water for drinking should be intensified. In Central Region, programmes aimed at improving child survival should be intensified while making efforts to establish the mechanisms through which maternal education acts to significantly reduce infant mortality.