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African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development
Rural Outreach Program
ISSN: 1684-5358 EISSN: 1684-5358
Vol. 15, No. 1, 2015, pp. 9708-9721
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Bioline Code: nd15007
Full paper language: English
Document type: Research Article
Document available free of charge
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African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, Vol. 15, No. 1, 2015, pp. 9708-9721
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INTRAHOUSEHOLD ALLOCATION, HOUSEHOLD HEADSHIP AND NUTRITION OF UNDER-FIVES: A STUDY OF WESTERN KENYA
Mikalitsa, S.M.
Abstract
This paper aims to establish whether there is a significant difference in nutritional status
of children in male-headed households, de jure female-headed households and de facto
female-headed households. The study uses a sample of 199 children aged 6 to 60
months, of mothers in reproductive age, derived from 499 smallholder households in
rural Kenya. The sample was selected using multi-stage stratified sampling technique.
Three indices namely; height/length-for-age z-scores (stunting), weight-for-age zscores
(underweight) and weight-for-height (wasting) z-scores were examined on
children in two regions (Vihiga and Busia) in western Kenya. However, for the purpose
of testing hypothesis, stunting is used due to its strength in measuring long term effect
of food scarcity as compared to wasting and underweight which may vary depending
on the period the data is collected (seasonal variation). Two-way (between groups)
Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) is used to analyse the height/length–for-age z-scores
against household headship. Household headship is stratified according to whether the
husband is present and active in decision making (male- headed household), the
husband lives away from the household but maintains regular contact with the family
including sending remittances (de facto female-headed household), or the woman is
recognized as head of household because she is a widow, divorced or separated (de jure
female-headed household). Western Kenya is characterized by relatively high levels of
undernutrition despite being classified as a region of high agricultural potential. In
addition, there is increasing trend of female-headed households in the region hence the
need to demonstrate the effect of household headship on nutritional status of the
children. The results indicate that household headship has a large and significant effect
on stunting of under five children [F (1, 93) = 4.675, p=.0.012]. More boys (37 %) than
girls (33%) were stunted and Busia had more children who were stunted (37%) than
Vihiga (25%). The study reaffirms the need to enhance women’s control over
household resource allocation as one way of enhancing child nutrition in western
Kenya.
Keywords
Intrahousehold; Nutrition; under-five; Kenya
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