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Relationship between household structure, maternal autonomy and undernutrition in Brazilian children
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Barrios, Pamela L.. Relationship between household structure, maternal autonomy and undernutrition in Brazilian children. Retrieved from https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T3MW2G23

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TitleRelationship between household structure, maternal autonomy and undernutrition in Brazilian children
NameBarrios, Pamela L. (author); Hoffman, Daniel J (chair); Fitzgerald, Nurgul (internal member); Rodgers, Yana (internal member); Guarnaccia, Peter J (outside member); Rutgers University; Graduate School - New Brunswick
Date Created2012
Other Date2012-05 (degree)
SubjectNutritional Sciences, Malnutrition in children--Brazil, Mother and child--Brazil, Autonomy (Psychology)--Brazil, Women--Nutrition--Brazil
Extentx, 52 p. : ill.
DescriptionChild malnutrition is a problem in many countries, but especially in poorer communities. Stunting, an outcome of chronic undernutrition, contributes to poor quality of life, morbidity and mortality. Biological and socioeconomic factors contribute to malnutrition with recent studies focusing on aspects of maternal autonomy as an influencing factor. Maternal autonomy (defined as a woman’s personal power in the household and her ability to influence and change her environment) is likely an important factor influencing child care, and ultimately, infant and child health outcomes. To examine the relationship between maternal autonomy and child stunting in Brazil, we analyzed data from the Women’s National Demographic and Health Survey (Pesquisa Nacional de Demografia e Saúde da Criança e da Mulher , PNDS 2006). Cross-sectional demographic, health and anthropometric data for mothers and their youngest child <60 months (n=3390) were used from PNDS. Maternal autonomy was estimated by the decision-making power of each woman in their household. Logistic regression analyses were used to test for associations between indicators of maternal autonomy and the risk of having a stunted child. Women with high autonomy indicated by the final say on what items are to be cooked [odds ratio (OR) = 1.856; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.004, 3.433] were significantly more likely to have a stunted child compared to women with low autonomy, after controlling for individual (education, work status) and household (wealth) level factors in the adjusted model. There was general lack of a strong and significant relationship between maternal autonomy variables and childrens’ HAZ scores. In a national sample, such as the PNDS 2006, the number of stunted children is very low, as is the number of low-income households. In this scenario, maternal autonomy may not be the most significant variable since other structural variables, such as household wealth that may explain its effects. It is suggested that more research on women’s autonomy and its effect on children’s health and nutrition should be conducted in low income populations, where wealth status is not a confounding variable.
NoteM.S.
NoteIncludes bibliographical references
Noteby Pamela L. Barrios
Genretheses, ETD graduate
Persistent URLhttps://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T3MW2G23
Languageeng
CollectionGraduate School - New Brunswick Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organization NameRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
RightsThe author owns the copyright to this work.
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