This study aims to investigate socioeconomic disparities in nutritional status among ever-married women in Bangladesh and to break down urban-rural differences in the underlying causes of ...undernutrition. We utilized data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2017-18, a sample size of 18328 ever-married women, including 5170 from urban residences, and 13159 from rural residences. To explore socioeconomic inequality, we employed a concentration indexing measure, while a multiple binary logistic regression model was carried out to identify the determinants associated with the outcome variable. A Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition analysis was performed to decompose the urban-rural gap in women's nutritional status using associated factors. The prevalence of undernutrition among ever-married women in Bangladesh was 12 percent. Notably, this percentage varied by region, with urban residents accounting for 8.6% and rural residents accounting for 13.3%. Our findings confirmed that undernutrition was more prevalent among women with lower wealth indexes in Bangladesh, as indicated by the concentration index (CIX = -0.26). The multivariable analysis investigating the determinants of undernutrition status among ever-married women, with a focus on residence revealed significant associations with respondent age, education, marital status, mass media access, wealth status, and division. According to the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition and its extension, the prevalence was significantly higher in rural residences of Bangladesh than in urban residences, and the endowment effect explained 86 percent of the total urban-rural difference in undernutrition prevalence. The results of this study indicate that the factors that influence women's nutritional status in rural areas play a significant role in the gap, and the majority of the gap is caused by education and economic position. In order to effectively promote maternal health policies in Bangladesh, intervention techniques should be created that are aimed at the population, that is, the poorest and least educated.
The present study aimed to identify factors that are associated with puberty knowledge among school-going rural adolescents in Bangladesh.
This cross-sectional study was conducted on 2724 ...school-going (grades VI-IX) adolescents who were aged between 10-24 years. The adolescents resided only in rural areas of Bangladesh. In this study, relationship between socio-demographic factors and controlling behaviour was assessed considering Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model. Considering the complex nature of Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model the structural equation model to explore factors related to the Adolescents' knowledge of pubertal changes.
The structural equation model result showed a significant association among gender, education, age, and parental limit setting on daily activities with student's knowledge on pubertal changes. peer connection, and peer regulation were associated with adolescent knowledge on puberty directly as well as through the mediator variables year of schooling, academic performance and, parental behavioural control.
Adolescents Age, years of schooling, and teachers concerns are positively associated with adolescents' knowledge on puberty. Whereas, parents' and peers' controlling behaviors are negatively associated with adolescents' understanding of pubertal changes. Therefore, there is needed an effective plan to raise the attention of parents and teachers on adolescents' pubertal issues to ensure adolescents' informed pubertal period.
Aim
The most effective way to avoid COVID-19 is through immunization against the virus that causes the disease. The primary objective of this study was to assess the extent of knowledge, attitudes, ...acceptability, and factors influencing COVID-19 vaccination acceptance among higher secondary and university students in Bangladesh.
Subject and methods
A structured questionnaire-based online survey was conducted among 451 students residing in Khulna and Gopalganj cities from February to August, 2022. The willingness to accept the COVID-19 vaccine was compared with a few covariates using the chi-square test, and we then used binary logistic regression to identify the determinants that led Bangladeshi students to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Results
During the study period, almost 70% of the students obtained immunizations, with 56% of men and 44% of women reporting having done so. The age range of 26–30 years had the highest percentage of students who had received vaccinations, and 83.9% of students agreed that the COVID-19 vaccine is crucial for students. The results of the binary logistic regression clearly show that gender, degree of education, and respondents' willingness, encouragement, and beliefs have a significant impact on students' eagerness to receive COVID-19 vaccination.
Conclusion
The rising trend in vaccination status among Bangladeshi students is highlighted by this study. Additionally, our results eloquently demonstrate that vaccination status varies by gender, education level, willingness, encouragement, and respondent's viewpoint. The outcomes of this study are essential for health policy makers and other interested parties to successfully organize their immunization program for young adults and children at various levels.
Children that are mentally and physically healthy have a higher quality of life and are better able to function in their daily lives. Therefore, this study is aimed at investigating associated ...factors causing functional difficulties in male and female children ages 5-17 years. This study used data from a nationally representative cross-sectional household survey named the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) Bangladesh 2019. A total of 58,746 children aged 5-17 were selected for the study, where 30,300 children were male, and 28,446 were female. To deal with overdispersed count data, the study used a negative binomial regression model to find the associated factors. The results show that 39.3% of the male children and 40.9% of the female children were from the age group of 10-14. Educated children had a lower risk of dysfunction. Among male children, women with a total number of children ever born of 4 or more were 1.21 times (incidence rate ratios IRR=1.21) more likely to have a dysfunctional child. Children of dysfunctional mothers are more likely to be dysfunctional themselves. The incidence rate ratio for children functional difficulty among Muslim girls was 36 percent higher than non-Muslim girls in Bangladesh. When compared to the Barisal Division, female children in the Mymensingh Division had a 16% higher risk of functional problems. Based on the findings, the Bangladesh government and other development partners should initiate policies and programs to minimize the impact of functional dysfunction in children.
Early marriage is a form of violation of child rights to grow and develop. The Sustainable Development Goals had included early marriage in target 5.3, aiming to eliminate by 2030. This study ...examines the socio-demographic factors associated with women's early marriage in Bangladesh, Ghana, and Iraq using information extracted from 2019, 2017–2018, and 2018 Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICSs) of Bangladesh, Ghana, and Iraq, respectively. The chi-square test examined the association between socio-demographic factors and early marriage separately in all three countries. In logistic regression, key factors were primarily evaluated for determining effects on early marriage separately in all three countries. The mean age of the mother at first marriage was found to be 16.86, 20.23, and 20.05 years in Bangladesh, Ghana, and Iraq successively. According to surveys conducted in Bangladesh, Ghana, and Iraq, education levels of household heads and women, wealth status, mass media, number of household members, and residence were significant factors linked to early marriage. The odds of getting married early were significantly higher among women with no formal education and primary education than women with secondary or higher education in all three countries. In terms of economic status, a negative association was found between wealth status and early marriage in both Bangladesh and Ghana. Based on the findings, the study recommended that government take the necessary steps to reduce child marriage in all three countries by raising women's education and campaigning women by media to harmful effects of early marriage, particularly women from low-income families.
Early marriage, Low weight, Nutritional, Mortality, Unintended pregnancies.
Introduction. In recent times, Bangladesh has made significant improvements in various health outcomes, but not so much in maternal death. The current flat trend in reducing maternal mortality in ...Bangladesh has been mainly due to the lower coverage of maternal health care. To improve the coverage, it is essential to find biosocial factors related to adequate maternal health care. Therefore, this study is aimed at finding out the socioeconomic correlates of adequate maternal health care in Bangladesh. Methods. The study used data from the Bangladeshi demographic and health survey 2017-18. The total unweighted sample of 4012 women who reported pregnancy before three years of the survey was analyzed. A composite binary indicator of adequate maternal care has been constructed using the variables—access to maternal care service, four antenatal care visits, at least one visit with qualified providers, and institutional delivery. A binary logistic regression model was employed to find out the socioeconomic correlate of adequate maternal care. Results. Only 24.4% percent of sample women received adequate maternal care. The result of the logistic regression model shows that urban, Khulna, Rajshahi, and Rangpur were associated with an increase in the odds of having adequate maternal care. High education and health care decisions taken by the partner or husband were also associated with an increased odd of adequate maternal care. Islam and lower wealth status were associated with a lower probability of adequate maternal care. Conclusions. Policymakers and health administration should pay attention to the variation in the utilization of maternal health care across residence, region, religion, education, and wealth status to ensure safe motherhood.
PurposeEarly literacy and numeracy development among children may be the best measure of a child's well-being. The purpose of this research was to examine the impact of child factors, quality of care ...and household factors, and community factors in early childhood on the development of literacy and numeracy skills of children in Bangladesh.Design/methodology/approachFor this study, the authors used data from Bangladesh's 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey. The association between response variables and selected covariates was examined using the chi-square test. To determine the risk factors for early child literacy and numeracy development, the authors applied two-level logistic regression models.FindingsAmong the total of under five children (n = 9,449), in general, 29.1% of the children were growing in the development early childhood literacy and numeracy in Bangladesh. Children (36–47 months), male children, children with moderate stunting, children with severe and moderate underweight status, mothers without education and primary education, and mothers from the poorest, poorer, middle and richer households were less likely than their counterparts to develop children's early literacy and numeracy skills. In contrast, women from the eastern and central regions, children who read at least 3 books, and early childhood education had higher odds of children's literacy and numeracy skills development than their counterparts.Originality/valueThe results from this study suggest that children's, community, quality of care and household level significant factors should be considered when trying to improve children's literacy and numeracy skills development in Bangladesh.
Purpose
Malnutrition is one of the serious public health problems especially for children and pregnant women in developing countries such as Bangladesh. This study aims to identify the risk factors ...associated with child nutrition for both male and female children in Bangladesh.
Design/methodology/approach
This study was conducted among 23,099 mothers or caretakers of children under five years of age from a nationally representative survey named Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, 2019. This study used chi-square test statistic for bivariate analysis and multinomial logistic regression was used to evaluate the adjusted effects of those covariates on child nutritional status.
Findings
The prevalence of severely malnourished, nourishment was higher for males than females (5.3% vs 5.1%, 77.4% vs 76.8%) while moderately malnourished were higher for females (18.1% vs 17.4%). The findings from the multinomial model insinuated that the mother’s education level, wealth index, region, early child development, mother’s functional difficulties, child disability, reading children's books and diarrhea had a highly significant effect on moderate and severe malnutrition for male children. For the female children model, factors such as mother’s education level, wealth index, fever, child disability, rural, diarrhea, early child development and reading less than three books were significant for moderate and severe malnutrition.
Originality/value
There is a solution to any kind of problem and malnutrition is not an exceptional health problem. So, to overcome this problem, policymakers should take effective measures to improve maternal education level, wealth status, child health.
Intended pregnancy is one of the significant indicators of women’s well-being. Globally, 74 million women become pregnant every year without planning. Unintended pregnancies account for 28% of all ...pregnancies among married women in Bangladesh. This study aimed to investigate the performance of six different machine learning (ML) algorithms applied to predict unintended pregnancies among married women in Bangladesh. From BDHS 2017-18, only 1129 pregnant women aged 15–49 were eligible for this study. An independent χ2 test had performed before we considered six popular ML algorithms, such as logistic regression (LR), random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), naïve Bayes (NB), and elastic net regression (ENR) to predict the unintended pregnancy. Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, Cohen’s Kappa statistic, and area under curve (AUC) value were used as model evaluation. The bivariate analysis result showed that women aged 30–49 years, poor, not educated, and living in male-headed households had a higher percentage of unintended pregnancy. We found various performance parameters for the classification of unintended pregnancy: LR accuracy = 79.29%, LR AUC = 72.12%; RF accuracy = 77.81%, RF AUC = 72.17%; SVM accuracy = 76.92%, SVM AUC = 70.90%; KNN accuracy = 77.22%, KNN AUC = 70.27%; NB accuracy = 78%, NB AUC = 73.06%; and ENR accuracy = 77.51%, ENR AUC = 74.67%. Based on the AUC value, we can conclude that of all the ML algorithms we investigated, the ENR algorithm provides the most accurate classification for predicting unwanted pregnancy among Bangladeshi women. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of how to categorize pregnancy intentions among Bangladeshi women. As a result, the government can initiate an effective campaign to raise contraception awareness.
Introduction: Although Bangladesh has made some significant progress in the health sector, home delivery of pregnancy is still a widespread tradition in Bangladesh. The objective of this study was to ...find the effects of sociodemographic factors associated with mothers' delivery at home utilizing the data extracted from the three Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHSs) conducted in 2007, 2011, and 2014. Methods: The present study was based mainly on the three BDHSs conducted in 2007, 2011, and 2014, which used a two-stage stratified sampling design for data collection purposes. For the analysis purpose, frequency distribution and multivariate logistic regression were considered. Results: The prevalence of home delivery among Bangladeshi mothers had dropped from 82.60% in 2007 BDHS to 64.17% in 2014 BDHS. In general, older mothers at their first birth, highly educated mother and father, women from the richest household, women who take 4 + ANC (Antenatal Care Service), and women who accessed media were a lower chance of home delivery than their counterparts. The study also showed moderate advancement in the use of institutional conveyance care among mothers in Bangladesh during 2007, 2011, 2014 BDHSs. Large variations in outcome measures were observed between rural and urban areas. Conclusion: Our research convincingly confirms that Bangladesh's delivery system implementation level is improving day by day, but the Sustainable Development Goals goals are still far from being achieved. Therefore, to overcome this problem, policymakers must take effective measures to improve maternal education level, wealth status, and maternal health-care service, including family planning.
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