Kaanu

Title

The Mortality Divide in India: The Differential Contributions of Gender, Caste, and Standard of Living Across the Life Course

Creator

Subramanian, S.V.

Nandy, Shailen

Irving, Michelle

Gordon, Dave

Lambert, Helen

Davey Smith, George

Date

2006

Identifier

doi:10.2105/ajph.2004.060103

issn:0090-0036

Source

Original source

Is Part Of

American Journal of Public Health

Publisher

American Public Health Association

Abstract

Objectives. We investigated the contributions of gender, caste, and standard of living to inequalities in mortality across the life course in India. Methods. We conducted a multilevel cross-sectional analysis of individual mortality, using the 1998–1999 Indian National Family Health Survey data for 529321 individuals from 26 states. Results. Substantial mortality differentials were observed between the lowest and highest standard-of-living quintiles across all age groups, ranging from an odds ratio (OR) of 4.61 (95% confidence interval [CI]=2.98, 7.13) in the age group 2 to 5 years to an OR of 1.97 (95% CI=1.68, 2.32) in the age group 45 to 64 years. Excess mortality for girls was evident only for the age group 2 to 5 years (OR=1.33, 95% CI=1.13, 1.58). Substantial caste differentials were observed at the beginning and end stages of life. Area variation in mortality is partially a result of the compositional effects of household standard of living and caste. Conclusions. The mortality burden, across the life course in India, falls disproportionately on economically disadvantaged and lower-caste groups. Residual state-level variation in mortality suggests an underlying ecology to the mortality divide in India.

Bibliographic Citation

Subramanian, S.V. et al.. (2006). 'The Mortality Divide in India: The Differential Contributions of Gender, Caste, and Standard of Living Across the Life Course'. American Journal of Public Health, 96(5), pp. 818-825.

Extent

Vol. 96, Issue 5, pp. 818-825

Has Format

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Type

journal-article

Kaanu ID

kb000396