Decomposing Stunting Gap between Indigenous and Remaining Indian Population: A Fairlie Decomposition Approach

Astapati Hemram, PhD Research Scholar

Child stunting, a key indicator of chronic malnutrition, remains a critical public health concern in India, particularly among its indigenous populations (Scheduled Tribes). This study aims to quantify factors that explain the gap in under-five children stunting between indigenous and remaining population. Data from the National Family Health Survey 2019-21 was used to select children aged 0-59 months (n=178,664) for the study. A bivariate analysis was first conducted to assess prevalence differences, followed by Fairlie decomposition approach to quantify the contribution of socioeconomic, demographic, and household factors to the observed gap. The indigenous and remaining population gap in stunting was 5.52 percentage points with large disparity across background characteristics among the study participants. Study identified household wealth and maternal education accounted for 36% and 35% of stunting inequality, respectively. Other noteworthy contributors were sanitation facility (15%), floor materials (13%) and mass media exposure (6%). The study highlights the need for targeted policy interventions that address these inequalities, emphasizing the importance of improving access to basic services and resources for indigenous communities. Addressing these disparities is crucial to achieving equitable health outcomes and reducing the overall burden of child stunting in India.

Keywords: The Demography of Indigenous Populations, Decomposition analysis, Children, Adolescents, and Youth, Health and Morbidity

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