Sanni Yaya|Emmanuel Kolawole Odusina|Olalekan A. Uthman|Ghose Bishwajit
What does women’s empowerment have to do with malnutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa? Evidence from demographic and health surveys from 30 countries
University of Ottawa|Federal University Oye Ekiti|University of Warwick|University of Ottawa
abstract background reduction childhood malnutrition identified priority health development sub saharan african countries association womens empowerment childrens nutritional status policy interest due effect human development labour supply productivity economic growth development study aimed determine association womens empowerment childhood nutritional status sub saharan african countries methods study utilized secondary datasets women child bearing age 1549 years latest demographic health survey dhs conducted 20112017 across 30 sub saharan africa countries outcome variable study childhood nutritional status exposure variable womens empowerment indicators decision making attitude towards violence analyses performed bivariate level use chi square determine association outcome exposure variables multivariate level use regression models examine effect womens empowerment childhood nutritional status results womens sociodemographic selected characteristics statistically significantly associated childhood nutritional status stunted underweight p lt 0001 characteristics also statistically significantly associated empowerment status women decisionmaking violence attitudes experience violence p lt 0001 except child age sex association childhood nutritional statuses womens empowerment three empowerment measures significant controlling covariates could also influence childhood nutrition statuses p lt 001 two empowerment measures attitudes towards violence experience violence showed positive association childhood nutritional statuses third decisionmaking showed negative association conclusion independent relationship childhood nutrition status womens empowerment sub saharan african countries womens empowerment found related childhood nutritional status policies programmes aiming reducing childhood malnutrition include interventions designed empower women subsaharan africa