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Exploring the Hierarchies: Multilevel Correlates of Child Mortality in Nigeria and Implications for Interventions

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Abstract

This study examined the multilevel correlates of childhood mortality among women (aged 15–49 years) in Nigeria using pooled data from the 2003, 2008 and 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Surveys. This study considered 25,685 women who stated that they never lived outside their communities. Descriptive and multilevel regression analyses were performed. About 38% of the women reported losing at least a child. The individual-level correlates of childhood mortality were age, age at first birth, years of education, marital status and ethnicity. Household variables such as number of male children ever born (aIRR = 1.031; 95% CI = 1.026–1.036; p = 0.001), no bed net (aIRR = 1.052; 95% CI = 1.011–1.094; p = 0.012) and using biomass/charcoal (aIRR = 1.223; 95% CI = 1.013–1.475; p = 0.036) were positively associated with childhood mortality while wealth index was negatively correlated with childhood mortality. At the community level, lower childhood mortality was observed in South South region (aIRR = 0.853; 95% CI = 0.767–0.949; p = 0.003), but it was higher in North East (aIRR = 1.143; 95% CI = 1.050–1.244; p = 0.002), North West (aIRR = 1.440; 95% CI = 1.318–1.574; p = 0.001) and South East (aIRR = 1.156; 95% CI = 1.028–1.300; p = 0.016) respectively. Higher childhood mortality was associated positively with community poverty (medium: aIRR = 1.107; 95% CI = 1.013–1.210; p = 0.024), low ownership of piped water (aIRR = 1.128; 95% CI = 1.047–1.215; p = 0.002) and problematic distance to health facility (aIRR = 1.046; 95% CI = 1.006–1.088; p = 0.025). There is a need for more interventions to tackle multilevel drivers of child mortality in Nigeria.

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Data Availability

The NDHS data analysed in this study was obtained with permission from the DHS program. The data is accessible from the website https://dhsprogram.com/data/available-datasets.cfm.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Viable Knowledge Knowledge Masters, Abuja, Nigeria

    David Aduragbemi Okunlola

  2. Viable Helpers Development Organization, Abuja, Nigeria

    David Aduragbemi Okunlola

  3. Department of Sociology and Criminology & Law, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA

    Oluwatobi Abel Alawode

  4. Department of Demography and Social Statistics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

    Abayomi Folorunso Awoleye

  5. College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University, Douglas, QLD, 4814, Australia

    Oyelola Adegboye

  6. Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Discovery Drive, Douglas, QLD, 4814, Australia

    Oyelola Adegboye

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  1. David Aduragbemi Okunlola
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  2. Oluwatobi Abel Alawode
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  3. Abayomi Folorunso Awoleye
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  4. Oyelola Adegboye
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Contributions

Conceptualisation: David A. Okunlola; methodology: David A. Okunlola; formal analysis and investigation: David A. Okunlola; writing (original draft): Oluwatobi A. Alawode, Abayomi F. Awoleye and David A. Okunlola; critical review and editing: Oyelola Adegboye.

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Correspondence to David Aduragbemi Okunlola.

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Permission to use the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey was sought from and granted by the MEASURE DHS. No attempt was made to identify the respondents or communities that took part in the survey. The data had been anonymised before the data request use was made. Findings from the study are not expected to cause injury or harm to the individuals or communities represented in the study.

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Okunlola, D.A., Alawode, O.A., Awoleye, A.F. et al. Exploring the Hierarchies: Multilevel Correlates of Child Mortality in Nigeria and Implications for Interventions. Glob Soc Welf 9, 131–139 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40609-022-00225-y

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