Description:
The authors use data from the National
Family Health Survey 2005 to present age-specific patterns
of child mortality among India's tribal (Adivasi)
population. The analysis shows three clear findings. First,
a disproportionately high number of child deaths are
concentrated among Adivasis, especially in the 1-5 age group
and in those states and districts where there is a high
concentration of Adivasis. Any effort to reduce child
morality in the aggregate will have to focus more squarely
on lowering mortality among the Adivasis. Second, the gap in
mortality between Adivasi children and the rest really
appears after the age of one. In fact, before the age of
one, tribal children face more or less similar odds of dying
as other children. However, these odds significantly reverse
later. This calls for a shift in attention from infant
mortality or in general under-five mortality to factors that
cause a wedge between tribal children and the rest between
the ages of one and five. Third, the analysis goes contrary
to the conventional narrative of poverty being the primary
factor driving differences between mortality outcomes.
Instead, the authors find that breaking down child mortality
by age leads to a much more refined picture. Tribal status
is significant even after controlling for wealth.