Ramesh P. Adhikari
Demographic, socio-economic, and cultural factors affecting fertility differentials in Nepal
Tribhuvan University
traditionally nepalese society favors high fertility children symbol wellbeing socially economically although fertility decreasing nepal since 1981 still high compared many developing countries paper attempt examine demographic socioeconomic cultural factors fertility differentials nepal paper used data nepal demographic health survey ndhs 2006 analysis confined ever married women reproductive age 8644 bivariate multivariate analyses performed describe fertility differentials bivariate analysis oneway anova applied examine association children ever born womens demographic socioeconomic cultural characteristics besides bivariate analysis net effect independent variable dependent variable controlling effect predictors also measured multivariate analysis multiple linear regressions mean numbers children ever born ceb among married nepali women reproductive age among women aged 4049 three five children respectively considerable differentials average number children ever born according womens demographic socioeconomic cultural settings regression analysis revealed age first marriage perceived ideal number children place residence literacy status religion mass media exposure use family planning methods household headship experience child death important variables explained variance fertility women considered higher number children ideal 003 p 0001 resided rural areas 002 p 005 muslim women 007 p 0001 ever used family planning methods 008 p 0001 childdeath experience 031 p 0001 likely higher number ceb compared counterparts hand married later age 015 p 0001 literate 005 p 0001 exposed radiotv mass media 005 p 0001 richest 012 p 0001 femaleheaded households 002 p 005 lower number children ever born counterparts average number children ever born high among women nepal many contributing factors high fertility among age first marriage perceived ideal number children literacy status mass media exposure wealth status childdeath experience mothers strong predictors ceb concluded programs aim reduce fertility rates focusing identified factors fertility well infant maternal mortality morbidity decreased overall wellbeing family maintained enhanced