Spatial Differentials in Childhood Mortality in South Africa: Evidence from the 2001 Census
Population studies
22
Issue: 2
(10 - 2007)
This study examines spatial differentials in childhood mortality in
South Africa using data from the 2001 population census. Of the
complex routes of geographical area hierarchy maintained by South
Africa, one route links provinces to Magisterial Districts (MDs). There
are in all 354 MDs and nine provinces. Our analyses are conducted
mainly at the level of MDs. The results show that provincial level
indicators mask huge disparities in child health experienced by
certain segments of the population. Children born in MDs such as
Tabankulu, Lusikisiki, Bizana, Flagstaff, Libode and in the Eastern
Cape Province in general are the most threatened early in life. Under
prevailing mortality conditions, more than 10% of the children born in
these districts are unlikely to celebrate their fifth anniversary. Most of
the high mortality MDs form clusters that sometimes cut across
provincial boundary. As it is to be expected, most of these high risk
districts are among the poorest in the country as measured by average
monthly expenditure. However, the worse-off districts, health-wise,
are not necessarily the poorest and similarly, the best child health
achievers are not necessarily the most economically well-off. On the
basis of these findings, implementing policies targeting such high risk
districts would seem a more rational way to help close the withincountry disparities in child mortality and thereby speed up progress
toward the MDGs target.
Keywords: Spatial differentials, childhood mortality, child health,
population density, infectious diseases, census
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