Rural Agricultural Change and Fertility Transition in N epal

Using longitudinal panel data from the Western Chitwan Valley of N epal, this study examines the impact of the use of modern farm technologies on fertility transition—specifically, the number of births in a farm household. Previous explanations for the slow pace of fertility transition in rural agricultural settings often argued that the demand for farm labor is the primary driver of high fertility. If this argument holds true, the use of modern farm technologies that are designed to carry out labor‐intensive farm activities ought to substitute for farm labor and discourage births in farm families. However, little empirical evidence is available on the potential influence of the use of modern farm technologies on the fertility transition. To fill this gap, the panel data examined in this study provide an unusual opportunity to test this long‐standing, but unexplored, argument. The results demonstrate that the use of modern farm technologies, particularly the use of a tractor and other modern farm implements, reduce subsequent births in farm households. This offers important insight for understanding the fertility transition in N epal, a setting that is experiencing high population growth and rapidly changing farming practices.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/98227/1/ruso12007.pd

Rural Agricultural Change and Individual Out‐migration

We investigate the impact of household use of labor‐saving farm technologies on first‐time out‐migration after the household agriculture and consumption survey was conducted in 1996. Building on the labor substitution framework, we hypothesize that household use of labor‐saving technologies (e.g., tractors, farm implements, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides) increases individual out‐migration. To estimate the effects of the use of labor‐saving farm technologies on out‐migration, we use uniquely detailed panel data from the rapidly changing rural agrarian, migrant‐sending setting of Nepal. The results of our multilevel, discrete‐time, event history models suggest that net of other known factors associated with out‐migration, household use of farm technology—particularly the use of tractors—significantly increases out‐migration.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135392/1/ruso12106.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135392/2/ruso12106_am.pd

Environmentalism and Contraceptive Use: How people in less developed settings approach environmental issues

The rise in environmental concerns around the globe has prompted increasing research on the links between such concerns and behavior. However, most studies have focused on pro-environmental behaviors in affluent western societies, such as willingness to pay for environmental protection, pro-environmental political actions, and consumption patterns. Using multiple data sets from the Chitwan Valley Family Study in Nepal, this paper examines the impact of environmental perceptions on contraceptive use in a rural agricultural setting. The results of our analyses show that perceptions about certain aspects of the environment are related to individuals' subsequent use of contraceptives. Specifically, those individuals who think that their environment—agricultural productivity—has deteriorated are more likely to use contraceptives than those who think that their environment has improved or has remained about the same. This study thus provides a first step in our understanding of the relationships between environmental perceptions and fertility behavior in a less developed setting.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/43510/1/11111_2005_Article_12.pd

Farming Systems and Rural Out-Migration in Nang Rong, Thailand, and Chitwan Valley, Nepal: Farming Systems and Rural Out-Migration

Using data from two post-frontier rural settings, Nang Rong, Thailand (N=2,538) and Chitwan Valley, Nepal (N=876), this paper examines agricultural push factors determining the outmigration of young people age 15 to 19. We focus on different dimensions of migration, including distance and duration. Our study examines a wide array of agricultural determinants, each with its own potential effect on migration. These determinants include land tenure, crop portfolios, animal husbandry activities, and use of farm inputs. We link these proximal causes to two underlying mechanisms: risk and amenities. We examine these determinants using separate models across settings. Our results indicate that agricultural factors are significant determinants of migration in both contexts. However, different factors operate in different settings, indicating the importance of contextual variation in explaining the manner in which risks and amenities influence agricultural determinants of migration

Land Use and First Birth Timing in an Agricultural Setting

The dramatic changes in the earth’s landscape have prompted increased interest in the links between population, land use, and land cover. Previous research emphasized the notion of population pressure (population pressure increases demands on natural resources causing changes in land use), overlooking the potentially important effects of changes in land use on humans. Using multiple data sets from the Chitwan Valley Family Study in Nepal, we test competing hypotheses about the impact of land use on first birth timing. We argue that while agricultural land should encourage early childbearing, land area devoted to public infrastructure should discourage it. The results show that individuals from neighborhoods with larger proportions of land under agriculture experienced first birth at rates higher than those from neighborhoods with smaller proportions. On the other hand, individuals from neighborhoods with larger proportions of land under public infrastructure experienced first birth at rates lower than those from neighborhoods with smaller proportions. However, the effects of public infrastructure are not as strong as the land area devoted to agriculture.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/60429/1/Ghimire Hoelter 2007 (2).pd

Bio-mechanical risk factors for uterine prolapse among women living in the hills of west Nepal: A case-control study.

OBJECTIVE:To investigate whether heavy load carrying, wearing a patuka, and body position at work are risk factors for uterine prolapse among Nepali women. METHODS:Community-based case-control study of 448 women (170 cases of uterine prolapse; 278 controls) aged 18-60 years in Kaski district, Nepal was conducted. Women diagnosed with uterine prolapse were cases. Two controls were recruited for each case, frequency-matched by residential area and age. Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate associations between outcome and exposures. RESULTS:No association of heavy load carrying with uterine prolapse was observed; women who never used a patuka had lower odds of uterine prolapse (odds ratio = 0.18, 95% confidence interval = 0.05-0.71). Women working in a sitting position had higher odds than those working in a standing position (odds ratio = 2.94, 95% confidence interval = 1.74-4.96), as did women who mainly worked in a bending position (odds ratio = 2.45, 95% confidence interval = 1.12-5.34). Housewives were more prone to uterine prolapse than women engaged in farming (odds ratio = 2.13, 95% confidence interval = 1.31-3.47). CONCLUSION:Using a patuka, occupation, and body position during work were all associated with uterine prolapse. No association was found with heavy load carrying, although that might be attributable to the cross-sectional nature of study recruitment

Collecting Survey Data during Armed Conflict

Surveys provide crucial information about the social consequences of armed conflict, but armed conflict can shape surveys in ways that limit their value. We use longitudinal survey data from throughout the recent armed conflict in Nepal to investigate the relationship between armed conflict events and survey response. The Chitwan Valley Family Study (CVFS) provides a rare window into survey data collection through intense armed conflict. The CVFS data reveal that with operational strategies tailored to the specific conflict, duration of the panel study is the main determinant of attrition from the study, just as in most longitudinal studies outside of conflict settings. Though minor relative to duration, different dimensions of armed conflict can affect survey response in opposing directions, with bombings in the local area reducing response rates but nationwide political events increasing response rates. This important finding demonstrates that survey data quality may be affected differently by various dimensions of armed conflict. Overall, CVFS response rates remained exceptionally high throughout the conflict. We use the CVFS experience to identify principles likely to produce higher quality surveys during periods of generalized violence and instability

Household migration and children’s diet in Nepal: an exploratory study

Abstract Objective Individuals from low-income countries often migrate abroad for employment. The association between such migration and investment in education as well as other societal and familial outcomes has previously been examined. However, we have a limited understanding of the association between migration and children’s nutrition. We aim to determine the extent to which migration of household members influences children’s diet in a semi-urban region of Nepal. Results In our study setting, children in households with a migrant had higher dietary diversity scores, 0.69 on average, than their counterparts in households without a migrant. These children were approximately 43% points more likely to meet a minimum requirement for dietary diversity. These differences originated primarily from higher consumption of meat (41% points) and eggs (20% points). Approximately 37 percent of children in the sample consumed processed food during the 24 h preceding the survey. However, we found no evidence that migration was associated with the consumption of processed foods or with reduced frequency of breastfeeding. Our finding that migration is associated with higher consumption of meat and eggs is particularly encouraging, given that the protein deficiency in Nepal is estimated to be nearly 43 percent.https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/152156/1/13104_2019_Article_4430.pd

Early Women, Late Men: Timing Attitudes and Gender Differences in Marriage

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138327/1/jomf12426_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138327/2/jomf12426.pd

Modifying and validating the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) for use in Nepal

Background : Efforts to develop and validate fully‐structured diagnostic interviews of mental disorders in non‐Western countries have been largely unsuccessful. However, the principled methods of translation, harmonization, and calibration that have been developed by cross‐national survey methodologists have never before been used to guide such development efforts. The current report presents the results of a rigorous program of research using these methods designed to modify and validate the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) for an epidemiological survey in Nepal. Methods : A five‐step process of translation, harmonization, and calibration was used to modify the instrument. A blinded clinical reappraisal design was used to validate the instrument. Results : Preliminary interviews with local mental health expert led to a focus on major depressive episode, mania/hypomania, panic disorder, post‐traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and intermittent explosive disorder. After an iterative process of multiple translations‐revisions guided by the principles developed by cross‐national survey methodologists, lifetime DSM‐IV diagnoses based on the final Nepali CIDI had excellent concordance with diagnoses based on blinded Structured Clinical Interview for DSM‐IV (SCID) clinical reappraisal interviews. Conclusions : Valid assessment of mental disorders can be achieved with fully‐structured diagnostic interviews even in low‐income non‐Western settings with rigorous implementation of replicable developmental strategies. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/97206/1/mpr1375.pd