Parental Living Arrangements, Parental Mortality, and Childhood Vulnerability

Kathy Ford, University of Michigan
Victoria Hosegood, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Due the high levels of mortality from AIDS, orphanhood has become a very serious problem in Africa and it has been estimated that over 11 million children in sub-Saharan Africa have lost one or both parents to AIDS (UNICEF, 2003). The objective of this study is to examine the influence of parental residence and mortality on three indices of childhood vulnerability: 1) child mortality due to AIDS and other causes, 2) economic vulnerability, and 3) schooling. Data will be drawn from the demographic surveillance system of the Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies in Matubatuba, South Africa. About 40,000 children were followed from 2000 through the end of 2002. Statistical methods include proportional hazards models and logistic regression.