Direct and indirect effects of socio-economic and demographic factors on age at death of infant and child of slum area in rajshahi city, Bangladesh

Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the direct and indirect effects of socioeconomic and demographic factors on age at death of infant and child in the slum area. Methods: Data have been collected from one hundred and twenty five ever married women from slum dwellers in Rajshahi City through a structured questionnaire. A statistical tool, path analysis has been used to find out the direct and indirect effects on age at death of infant and child. Results: The study results reveal that respondent’s age, order of birth, income, education and immunization practice for their new born babies are directly and indirectly significantly associated with age at death of infant and child. The indirect effects of family income (36.05%) has the highest impact among other characteristics (education, length of breast feeding, and immunization practice) on age at death and also these have similar results in case of birth interval (45.66%) and immunization practice (39.08%) through age. The percentage of other variables (implied effect) is higher for the immunization (50.35%). The direct effects of birth interval, age and order of birth on age at death of infant and child are 0.035, 0.879 and 0.709 respectively which implies order of birth and age of mothers’ have much impact on age at death. Conclusion: Traditional maternal education and immunization practice system are not well recommended in Bangladesh. Slum dwellers of this country are always deprived from their fundamental needs such as treatment, housing, fooding, clothing and education. Thus, the study suggests that mother’s education and awareness about infant and child death should improve in slum areas as well.