Child loss and fertility behaviour in Ghana

Evidence shows a strong relationship between child mortality and fertility at the aggregate level but the relationship at the individual level is less clear. Data from the 1993 Ghana DHS are used to examine the impact of infant death on a woman's subsequent fertility behaviour. Birth interval analysis, parity progression ratios, and multilevel discrete-time hazard models are used. Child replacement after infant death is found to be taking place in Ghana. On average, birth intervals are shortened by about 15 months if a child dies in the neonatal stage, and by about 11 months for postneonatal death. Progression to the next parity is higher if an infant dies than if it survives; the probability of progression is about 32% higher if a male child dies than if a female dies. A sustained decline in child mortality in Ghana is likely to result in further reduction in fertility

Pathways of the determinants of unfavourable birth outcomes in Kenya

This paper explores the pathways of the determinants of unfavourable birth outcomes, such as premature birth, the size of the baby at birth, and Caesarean section deliveries in Kenya, using graphical loglinear chain models. The results show that a number of factors which do not have direct associations with unfavourable birth outcomes contribute to these outcomes indirectly through intermediate factors. Marital status, the desirability of a pregnancy, the use of family planning, and access to health facilities have no direct associations with poor birth outcomes, such as premature births and the small size of the baby at birth, but are linked to these outcomes through antenatal care. Antenatal care is identified as a central link between various socio- demographic or reproductive factors and birth outcomes

Impact of estimation techniques on regression analysis: an application to survey data on child nutritional status in five African countries

This paper illustrates the impact of ignoring survey design and hierarchical structure of survey data when fitting regression models. Data on child nutritional status from Ghana, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe are analysed using four techniques: ordinary least squares; weighted regression using standard statistical software; regression using specialist software that accounts for the survey design; and multilevel modelling. The impact of ignoring survey design on logistic and linear regression models is examined. The results show bias in estimates averaging between five and 17 per cent in linear models and between five and 22 per cent in logistic regression models. The standard errors are also under-estimated by up to 49 per cent in some countries. Socio-economic variables and service utilisation variables are poorly estimated when the survey design is ignored

An ongoing search of constant and sustainable Lutheran Theological Education in South Africa in the 21st century.

This article explores the recent history of Lutheran theological education in South Africa, which is still confronted by the legacy of colonial and apartheid education systems. The latter need to be confronted with liberation and decolonisation systems that reclaim African indigenous identities. There is a need to cultivate a culture of quality and equal education, spirituality, politics, and socio-economic systems for the service of South Africans. Evangelical Lutheran churches inSouthern Africa are committed to improve and reform Lutheran theological education in the 21st century. Lutheran theological education is necessary to make a meaningful contribution towards training theological students to assist the church in its response to societal concern and contextual issues. The article introduces a recent renewal of Lutheran theological institutions in a new teaching and learning environment by the Lutheran Church. It discusses the implications and successes of Lutheran theological education in South Africa

Millennium development goal 6 and HIV infection in Zambia : what can we learn from successive household surveys?

Background: Geographic location represents an ecological measure of HIV status and is a strong predictor of HIV prevalence. Given the complex nature of location effects, there is limited understanding of their impact on policies to reduce HIV prevalence. Methods: Participants were 3949 and 10 874 respondents from two consecutive Zambia Demographic and Health Surveys from 2001/2007 (mean age for men and women: 30.3 and 27.7 years, HIV prevalence 14.3% in 2001/2002; 30.3 and 28.0 years, HIV prevalence of 14.7% in 2007). A Bayesian geo-additive mixed model based on Markov Chain Monte Carlo techniques was used to map the change in the spatial distribution of HIV/AIDS prevalence at the provincial level during the 6-year period, accounting for important risk factors. Results: Overall HIV/AIDS prevalence changed little over the 6-year period, but the mapping of residual spatial effects at the provincial level suggested different regional patterns. A pronounced change in odds ratios in Lusaka and Copperbelt provinces in 2001/2002 and in Lusaka and Central provinces in 2007 was observed following adjustment for spatial autocorrelation. Western province went from a lower prevalence area in 2001 (13.4%) to a higher prevalence area in 2007 (17.3%). Southern province went from the highest prevalence area in 2001 (17.3%) to a lower prevalence area in 2007 (15.9%). Conclusion: Findings from two consecutive surveys corroborate the Zambian government's effort to achieve Millennium Developing Goal (MDG) 6. The novel finding of increased prevalence in Western province warrants further investigation. Spatially adjusted provincial-level HIV/AIDS prevalence maps are a useful tool for informing policies to achieve MDG 6 in Zambia. (C) 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health vertical bar Lippincott Williams & Wilkin

Does living in a community with more educated mothers enhance children’s school attendance? Evidence from Sierra Leone

In Sierra Leone girls are 23.4% less likely to attend secondary education than boys. This difference between sexes increases the gender gap in educational attainment since women's education is positively associated with children's educational wellbeing. This paper investigates the relationship between children's school attendance, their mothers’ level of education, as well as the overall level of women's education at the community level in Sierra Leone using multilevel statistical modelling techniques and the country's 2008 Demographic and Health Survey data. The findings suggest that, regardless of a child's own mother's education, an increase in the proportion of mothers with secondary or higher education in a community by 10% improves the probability of attending junior secondary school significantly by 8%; a 50% increase improves the likelihood of attending school by 45%. There was no significant relationship between the proportion of better educated mothers in a community and primary school attendance. However, relative to children whose mothers had no formal education, children whose mothers had attained primary, secondary or higher education were 7%, 14% and 22% more likely to attend primary school respectively. Future policies should seek to promote girls’ education at post-primary education and develop community based programmes to enable the diffusion and transmission of educational messages

Christian emergence among Batlhaping ba ga Phuduhucwana tribe in Taung : the London Missionary Society

Peer reviewedThe Batlhaping people, like other communities, nations and countries have encountered difficulties such as invasions, war and conquest and, in some cases, have stood up to defend themselves against their enemies (one well-known battle in which they successfully defended themselves was the Battle of Dithakong against the Difeqane/Mfecane (Madise 2002:276)). In spite of all these difficulties, missionaries still found their way to evangelise and convert the Batlhaping. This article is intended to show how Batlhaping ba ga Mankuroane came to embrace Christianity from 1829 onwards through the London Missionary Society. A number of denominations made inroads into Taung and established themselves among the tribes who lived in this area, the main denominations being the Methodists, the Anglicans, the Catholics and the United Congregationalists. In this article, however, I will focus mainly on one denomination, the United Congregational Church.Research Institute for Theology and Religio

Parallels of the European Church Reformation and the church reformation in Africa : the cultural dichotomy and reflection

Peer reviewedHistory shows us that ‘there is no smoke without fire’. The reformation in Europe was not deemed to be schism; reformers cited a number of reasons why the church needed reforming. The South African situation does not appear to have been viewed in the same line simply because what happened in South Africa occurred in an inside the context which could neither authenticate nor validate the reformation. The formation of the African Independent Churches in Africa reflected the same type of historical events within the Protestant Churches as occurred in the Catholic Church in the 16th century. As in Europe, the cultural context played a major role in the reformation of the church which was influenced mainly by the Renaissance.Research Institute for Theology and Religio

The Christian families' participation in baptism as a basis for including children in Holy Communion

Peer reviewedChildren have become a central point of the Holy Communion in the church. As a result, issues such as understanding baptism, understanding children, the demands from parents and demands from children and the developments of children’s participation in the church will be discussed. Throughout the history of Christianity the issue of baptism has been seen as the only way to accepting children into the fellowship of the faithful. Families have been the ones guiding the children’s Christian faith as they grow to become responsible adults with faith. Their (the children’s) exclusion has prompted them to raise questions with parents about their role in the Christian community particularly in the Holy Communion. As a result, Christian families form the central part of children’s participation in the Holy Communion. The article will proceed to discuss the dynamics which are involved. This will be followed by the conclusion that will be drawn from the article itself.Research Institute for Theology and Religio