Assessing The Impact of Male Involvement in Child Health

Neelima V P, Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi
Shalem Balla, Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi
Mayanka Ambade, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

The role of male involvement within families in maternal and reproductive health, has always had positive effects, yet its influence on child health outcomes remains underexplored. This study suggests that fathers involved in antenatal care may improve child health by better allocating resources and addressing factors that partially explain variations in child anthropometry, by utilizing data from the fifth round of the National Family Health Survey 2019-21. With fathers' involvement, the child is more likely to eat protein rich food and vegetables (OR: 1.1; 95% CI: 1.01-1.1) and receive treatment for diarrhoea (OR: 1.1; 95% CI: 1.0-1.2). It was also associated with a decreased likelihood of not receiving treatment for fever (OR: 1; 95% CI: 0.9-1.1), and ARI symptoms (OR: 0.8; 95% CI: 0.7-1.0). However, male involvement had negligible effects on the child being underweight (OR: 1.0; 95% CI: 1.0-1.1). Also, the child is more likely to receive either ORS or RHF for diarrhoea, which is the most basic and immediate treatment, (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.4-1.7), in both urban (OR: 1.3; 95% CI: 1.0-1.7), and rural areas. (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.4-1.7) if the male is involved.

Keywords: Children, Adolescents, and Youth, Gender Dynamics, Families, Unions and Households

See extended abstract.