Articles

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10361/6703

Browse

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4

Revisiting the child health-wealth nexus
(© 2016 The Author(s)., 2016-04) Fakir, Adnan M. S.; Department of Economics & Social Sciences
The causal link between a household’s economic standing and child health is known to suffer from endogeneity. While past studies have exemplified the causal link to be small, albeit statistically significant, this paper aims to estimate the causal effect to investigate whether the effect of income after controlling for the endogeneity remains small in the long run. By correcting for the bias, and knowing the bias direction, one can also infer about the underlying backward effect.
A framework for balancing MFI regulation
(© 2015 International Journal of Business and Management Study, 2015-04) Fakir, Adnan M.S.; Department of Economics & Social Sciences
Private investments for Microfinance are a major fuel for its growth. Inadvertently, the role of the MFI regulatory body in inducing private investments remains a conspicuous issue. The paper aims to provide basic building blocks for a framework based on a continuous spectrum of light and heavy regulatory laws that can attract optimal levels of private investment, for both non-profit and for-profit MFIs.
The endogeneity of domestic violence: understanding women empowerment through autonomy
(© 2016 Elsevier Ltd., 2016-10) Fakir, Adnan M.S.; Anjum, Anika; Bushra, Fabiha; Nawar, Nabilah; Department of Economics & Social Sciences
Women’s autonomy is known to incite intimate partner violence (IPV) in developing countries. We argue for the endogeneity of women’s autonomy with IPV, which is often ignored in the existing literature, for understanding the causal association. Using the Bangladesh Demography and Health Survey (2007), we isolate the effect of autonomy on IPV taking into account the possible endogeneity using instrument variables and special regressor estimations, proposing the special regressor as a more reliable approach to estimating binary choice models with discrete endogenous regressors. Our study finds increased women’s autonomy to lead to higher incidents of IPV for a South Asian patriarchal society such as Bangladesh. Thereby, policies catered towards women empowerment by increasing women’s autonomy should concurrently focus on other determinants of IPV. Undue male controlling behaviour, witnessing inter-parental abuse as a child and early marriage are also found to aggravate IPV. Hence there should be simultaneous programmes that aim to relax male controlling behaviour over women, provide counselling for those who have witnessed inter-parental abuse as a child, and laws prohibiting child marriage, still prevalent in South Asian societies, should be reinforced. These findings have strong policy implications suggesting the dual nature of improving women’s autonomy in empowering women while aggravating IPV.
Determinants of malnutrition among urban slum children in Bangladesh
(© 2016 Health Economics Review) Fakir, Adnan M S; Khan, M. Wasiqur Rahman; Department of Economics & Social Sciences
Background: This paper analyzes the role of child, maternal and household variables on weight-for-age nutritional status of children in the largest urban slum of Bangladesh. Methods: We use anthropometric weight-for-age nutrition status of children for an ordered logistic analysis. Our dataset gives us the advantage of segregating health knowledge into three indices: health-seeking practices index, child health precautions index and medical cost knowledge index, which are used as covariates to understand the role of health knowledge towards child health. Gender specific regressions are also run to understand male and female children nutritional function differences. Results: Per capita income significantly improves child health but household assets do not, casting doubt on the robustness of permanent income. After controlling for health knowledge and health-seeking behavior, the remaining impact of maternal education on child health is no longer significant. Health knowledge indices significantly improve child health albeit differentially. While male children are more sensitive to "child health precautions" and "medical cost knowledge", female children are more sensitive to "health-seeking practices". Conclusion: Role of health knowledge on child health carries a significant portion of the education effect. Policy makers looking to improve the nutritional status of female children vis-a-vis male children in study area, should promote programs focusing on health-seeking practices.

Browse

Recent Submissions