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Inequalities in Maternal and Child Health and Health Care
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Inequalities in Maternal and Child Health and Health Care

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Children's Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2020) | Viewed by 16370

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Hassan Haghparast-Bidgoli

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Guest Editor
Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
Interests: health economics; economic evaluation; inequality in health and health care; health financing; health care efficiency
Prof. Jolene Skordis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
Interests: economics; poverty; inequality; capability; health; development
Dr. Mohammad Hajizadeh

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Health Administration, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
Interests: health economics; equity in health and health care; inequality in health; social determinant of health; social policy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Poor maternal and child health outcomes remain a key public health concern in many low-income countries. Recent improvements in maternal and child health, largely achieved through increased service coverage, have not benefited all groups equally. This is particularly true for the most vulnerable populations, who risk being left further behind by the push to achieve universal health coverage in a context of worsening noncommunicable disease epidemics. To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a stronger focus on equity in health and health care is vital. In the longer term, overall country level progress will not mask a failure to share progress across all population groups with the potential to benefit from health investments.

This Special Issue invites authors from disciplines such as economics, public health, medicine, sociology, and ethics to submit their original or review papers related to inequalities in maternal and child health, and inequalities in access and the use of maternal and child health services.

Dr. Hassan Haghparast-Bidgoli
Prof. Jolene Skordis
Dr. Mohammad Hajizadeh
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH)
  • Maternal health
  • Maternal mortality
  • Child health
  • Child mortality
  • Sexual reproductive health
  • Antenatal care
  • Postnatal care
  • Institutional delivery
  • Skilled birth attendance
  • Inequality
  • Inequity
  • Access to healthcare
  • Social determinants of health
  • Universal health coverage
  • Sustainable Development Goals

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2547 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Associations between Early Childhood Development Outcomes and Ecological Country-Level Factors across Low- and Middle-Income Countries
by Kasim Allel, Gerard Abou Jaoude, Stavros Poupakis, Neha Batura, Jolene Skordis and Hassan Haghparast-Bidgoli
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(7), 3340; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073340 - 24 Mar 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2636
Abstract
A poor start in life shapes children’s development over the life-course. Children from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are exposed to low levels of early stimulation, greater socioeconomic deprivation and persistent environmental and health challenges. Nevertheless, little is known about country-specific factors affecting [...] Read more.
A poor start in life shapes children’s development over the life-course. Children from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are exposed to low levels of early stimulation, greater socioeconomic deprivation and persistent environmental and health challenges. Nevertheless, little is known about country-specific factors affecting early childhood development (ECD) in LMICs. Using data from 68 LMICs collected as part of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys between 2010 and 2018, along with other publicly available data sources, we employed a multivariate linear regression analysis at a national level to assess the association between the average Early Childhood Development Index (ECDI) in children aged 3–5 and country-level ecological characteristics: early learning and nurturing care and socioeconomic and health indicators. Our results show that upper-middle-income country status, attendance at early childhood education (ECE) programs and the availability of books at home are positively associated with a higher ECDI. Conversely, the prevalence of low birthweight and high under-5 and maternal mortality are negatively associated with ECDI nationally. On average, LMICs with inadequate stimulation at home, higher mortality rates and without mandatory ECE programs are at greater risks of poorer ECDI. Investment in early-year interventions to improve nurturing care and ECD outcomes is essential for achieving Sustainable Development Goals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inequalities in Maternal and Child Health and Health Care)
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12 pages, 778 KiB  
Article
Implication of Vaginal and Cesarean Section Delivery Method in Black–White Differentials in Infant Mortality in the United States: Linked Birth/Infant Death Records, 2007–2016
by Laurens Holmes Jr., Leah O’Neill, Hikma Elmi, Chinaka Chinacherem, Camillia Comeaux, Lavisha Pelaez, Kirk W. Dabney, Olumuyiwa Akinola and Michael Enwere
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(9), 3146; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17093146 - 30 Apr 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6075
Abstract
Racial/ethnic disparities in infant mortality (IM) continue to persist in the United States, with Black/African Americans (AA) being disproportionally affected with a three-fold increase in mortality compared to Whites. Epidemiological data have identified maternal characteristics in IM risk such as preeclampsia, eclampsia, maternal [...] Read more.
Racial/ethnic disparities in infant mortality (IM) continue to persist in the United States, with Black/African Americans (AA) being disproportionally affected with a three-fold increase in mortality compared to Whites. Epidemiological data have identified maternal characteristics in IM risk such as preeclampsia, eclampsia, maternal education, smoking, maternal weight, maternal socioeconomic status (SES), and family structure. Understanding the social gradient in health including implicit bias, as inherent in the method of labor and delivery and the racial heterogeneity, may facilitate intervention mapping in narrowing the Black–White IM risk differences. We aimed to assess the temporal/racial trends and the methods of delivery, mainly vaginal vs. cesarean section (C-section) as an exposure function of IM. The United States linked birth/infant death records (2007–2016) were used with a cross-sectional ecological design. The analysis involved chi squared statistic, incidence rate estimation by binomial regression model, and period percent change. Of the 40,445,070 births between 2007 and 2016, cumulative mortality incidence was 249,135 (1.16 per 1000). The IM rate was highest among Black/AA (11.41 per 1000), intermediate among Whites (5.19 per 1000), and lowest among Asian /Pacific Islanders (4.24 per 1000). The cumulative incidence rate difference, comparing vaginal to cesarean procedure was 1.73 per 1000 infants, implying excess IM with C-section. Compared to C-section, there was a 31% decreased risk of IM among mothers with vaginal delivery, rate ratio (RR) = 0.69, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.64–0.74. Racial disparities were observed in the method of delivery associated with IM. Black/AA mothers with vaginal delivery had a 6% decreased risk of IM compared to C-section, RR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.92–0.95, while Whites with vaginal delivery had a 38% decrease risk of IM relative to C-section, RR= 0.68, 95% CI: 0.67–0.69, p < 0.001. Infant mortality varied by race, with Black/AA disproportionally affected, which is explained in part by labor and delivery procedures, suggestive of reliable and equitable intrapartum assessment of Black/AA mothers during labor, as well as implicit bias marginalization in the healthcare system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inequalities in Maternal and Child Health and Health Care)
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14 pages, 5171 KiB  
Article
Socioeconomic Inequalities in Child Malnutrition in Bangladesh: Do They Differ by Region?
by Mohammad Monirul Hasan, Jalal Uddin, Mohammad Habibullah Pulok, Nabila Zaman and Mohammad Hajizadeh
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(3), 1079; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17031079 - 8 Feb 2020
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 6849
Abstract
Socioeconomic inequality in child malnutrition is well-evident in Bangladesh. However, little is known about whether this inequality differs by regional contexts. We used pooled data from the 2011 and 2014 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey to examine regional differences in socioeconomic inequalities in [...] Read more.
Socioeconomic inequality in child malnutrition is well-evident in Bangladesh. However, little is known about whether this inequality differs by regional contexts. We used pooled data from the 2011 and 2014 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey to examine regional differences in socioeconomic inequalities in stunting and underweight among children under five. The analysis included 14,602 children aged 0–59 months. We used logistic regression models and the Concentration index to assess and quantify wealth- and education-related inequalities in child malnutrition. We found stunting and underweight to be more concentrated among children from poorer households and born to less-educated mothers. Although the poverty level was low in the eastern regions, socioeconomic inequalities were greater in these regions compared to the western regions. The extent of socioeconomic inequality was the highest in Sylhet and Chittagong for stunting and underweight, respectively, while it was the lowest in Khulna. Regression results demonstrated the protective effects of socioeconomic status (SES) on child malnutrition. The regional differences in the effects of SES tend to diverge at the lower levels of SES, while they converge or attenuate at the highest levels. Our findings have policy implications for developing programs and interventions targeted to reduce socioeconomic inequalities in child malnutrition in subnational regions of Bangladesh. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inequalities in Maternal and Child Health and Health Care)
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