The nutritional status impact on infant and child mortality in Kenya: A micro level analysis

Abstract

The main objective of the study is to determine the impact of nutritional status on child mortality in rural Kenya, and also to describe feeding practices and prevailing socio-economic and environmental conditions (which include the demographic characteristics of the mother, the hygienic conditions of the household, eating habits of the community and disease prevalence along with enviromnetal sanitation). From the results it was concluded that the selected social, economic demographic, health and enviromental indicators are good predictors of child mortality in Kenya. According to the multiple linear regression equation, the selected independent variables were found to explain 71.3 % (cumulated Rs)1 of the total variation in the dependent variable (child mortality rate). In all prevalence and incidence of illness, SUP2lementation age and education of mothers in the community take an upper hand in explaining the variation.

On the whole, it was concluded that Child Mortality along with malnutrition in Kenya, require immediate attention with regard to .t, he above selected factors •