Spatial Homogeneity in Uganda’s SES-Child Health Gradient

David Bishai, Johns Hopkins University
Annamarie Kisalu, Johns Hopkins University
Elizabeth Kirapa, Makerere University
George Pariyo, Makerere University

This paper asks whether the SES-health gradient had uniform intensity in a nationally representative survey in Uganda (UNHS-2000). Answering this question illuminates whether the various parts of the country are achieving similar or disparate success in social protection. The study used random coefficients regression and an interaction between SES and community dummies to study the relationship between stunting, wasting, vaccine coverage versus log income across communities. Analysis showed the expected SES-gradients, but more importantly showed that the community or (primary sampling unit) in which the child lived had no statistically significant effect on the intensity of the SES-health gradient for stunting or receipt of DPT vaccine. A program of pro-poor policies enacted by the central government in the 1990s may have been responsible for equalizing the gradients. We believe this simple method of checking spatial homogeneity can be used in other countries to assess the degree of social protection.