Associations between birth registration and early child growth and development: evidence from 31 low- and middle-income countries.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Lack of legal identification documents can impose major challenges for children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The aim of this study was to investigate the association between not having a birth certificate and young children's physical growth and developmental outcomes in LMICs.

Methods

We combined nationally representative data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys in 31 LMICs. For our measure of birth registration, primary caregivers reported on whether the child had a birth certificate. Early child outcome measures focused on height-for-age z-scores (HAZ), weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ), weight-for-height z-scores (WHZ), and standardized scores of the Early Childhood Development Index (ECDI) for a subsample of children aged 36-59 months. We

SUBMITTER: Jeong J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5977554 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature