Socio-economic factors explain differences in public health-related variables among women in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study
2008

Socio-economic factors and public health among women in Bangladesh

Sample size: 600 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Khan Md Mobarak H, Kraemer Alexander

Primary Institution: Department of Public Health Medicine, School of Public Health, University of Bielefeld, Germany

Hypothesis

What is the association of living in slums with public health-related variables among women in Bangladesh?

Conclusion

The study found that socio-economic factors significantly influence public health outcomes among women living in slums compared to those not living in slums.

Supporting Evidence

  • Women in slums had significantly lower education levels compared to those not in slums.
  • Access to mass media was significantly lower among women living in slums.
  • Unadjusted results showed lower BMI and knowledge of AIDS among slum women.

Takeaway

Women living in slums in Bangladesh often have worse health outcomes than those living elsewhere, but this is largely due to factors like education and access to media.

Methodology

The study used secondary data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2004, comparing 120 women living in slums with 480 age-matched controls from non-slum areas.

Potential Biases

Potential selection bias due to the small number of slum women in the dataset.

Limitations

The study's limitations include reliance on secondary data and a small sample size for women living in slums, which may affect the generalizability of the findings.

Participant Demographics

The study included women aged 10-49 years, with a focus on those living in slums and non-slum areas.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-2458-8-254

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