Background: To investigate the association between public health spending and probability of infant and child death in India.Methods: We used data from the three rounds of National Family Health Survey (NFHS) conducted in India during 1992-93, 1998-99 and 2005-06 to investigate the association between public health spending and probability of infant and child death. We used data from the birth history of three NFHS rounds to create state-year panels of births, infant and child deaths, state-level public finance variables, food grain production, household and individual variables for the period 1980-2005. Two-stage probit regression model is used to investigate the association. State-level per capita gross fiscal deficit is used as an instrument for estimating two-stage probit model.Findings: Findings suggest association between public health spending and infant and child mortality in India. A 10% increase in per capita public health spending is likely to reduce the probability of infant and child deaths by 0•005 (95% CI: 0•003, 0•007) and 0•003 (95% CI: 0•002, 0•004) respectively. The second and third lags of public health spending were also statistically significant. Other factors affecting infant and child death were sex of the child, birth order, mother's age at birth of the index child, mother's schooling and urban-rural residence.Interpretation: Public health spending was associated with probability of infant and child death in India. Our findings lend support to the government's initiative to increase public health spending in India.

Background: India has achieved a substantial decline in its infant mortality rate from 110 to 47 deaths per 1000 in the last two decades. But, in 2011 there were still 1.7 million deaths in children under-5 in India, accounting for 24% of global under-5 child deaths. On the one hand, per-capita public spending on health has doubled during the same period, but out-of-pocket health expenditure still constitutes 70% of total health spending. In this context, the present study investigated the association between public health spending and infant and child mortality in India. Methods: In the study, data from the first, second, and third National Family Health Survey were used to create a birth cohort for the years 1980 to 2006 that provided individual death history. The mortality data for each individual were merged with yearly state health expenditure, income, fiscal deficit, and the Gini coefficient for the 27 years, 1980-2006. As health expenditure varies over time by state but not by individual, a state-level fixed effects model was adopted for probit estimation, along with a time fixed effect probit estimation to give the time varying effect. Findings: State-level fixed effect regression results show public spending on health has a marginal effect of -0.077 (SE 0.021) on infant mortality and -0.126 (0.025) on under-5 mortality. Marginal effects of per-capita income and its distribution are statistically insignificant in a state-level fixed model, but they become significant in a time fixed model. Mother's education and age at the birth of the child are significant determinants of infant and under-5 mortality in both of the specified models. Interpretation: Even though overall public health expenditure has a marginal effect, its effect is greater on under-5 mortality than on infant mortality. Maternal characteristics, such as age at the birth of the child and education, are significantly associated with infant and child mortality. Given the large variation in public health expenditure across the state, this study suggests that a substantial targeted investment in public health is required to improve health outcomes in the laggard states of India.

This study surveys the level, causes, and course of infant mortality in India during the last seventy years. Besides this historical survey, the book examines the implications of high and low infant mortality on the country's major problems of population growth and the current population policy designed to reduce the birth rate through family planning. Originally published 1972. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.

Van der Klaauw and Wang focus on infant and child mortality in rural areas of India. They construct a flexible duration model framework that allows for frailty at multiple levels and interactions between the child's age and individual socioeconomic, and environmental characteristics. The model is estimated using the 1998-99 wave of the Indian National Family and Health Survey. The estimated results show that socioeconomic and environmental characteristics have significantly different effects on mortality rates at different ages. These are particularly important immediately after birth. The authors use the estimated model for policy experiments. These indicate that child mortality can be reduced substantially, particularly by improving the education of women and reducing indoor air pollution caused by cooking fuels. In addition, providing access to electricity and sanitation facilities can reduce under-five-years mortality rates significantly. This paper--a product of the Environment Department--is part of a larger effort in the department to improve our understanding of environmental determinants of child mortality in rural India.

First published in 1972, this reissue deals with the crucial issue of population explosion, one of the most crucial problems facing the contemporary developing world. Written by a world-renowned demographer and family planning specialist, the book deals specifically with the Indian experience. Reviewing population change in India over the last century, Professor Chandrasekhar focuses on three key issues: the socioeconomic repercussions of reduced infant mortality in twentieth-century India; the rapid population growth from 1871 and its implications on India’s efforts to raise her standard of living; and finally India’s valiant efforts to promote family planning amongst her hundred million married couples.