Studies on developed countries demonstrate that an increase in women legislators leads to a prioritization in health, an increase in social policy spending, and a decrease in poverty. Women representatives could therefore improve development trajectories in developing countries; yet, currently, no cross-national and longitudinal studies explore…

In 1989, African Americans had an infant mortality rate about 2.2 times higher than Anglos, with little difference in the gaps for endogenous and exogenous mortality. The racial gap was related to differences in sociodemographic, maternal-health, and health-care factors, and was greater between high school graduates than between high school…

The civic community perspective focuses on local social and economic institutions that buffer communities from external, often global forces. Important community organizations such as locally oriented business establishments, civic organizations, associations, and churches are emphasized. These critical entities are posited to benefit a…

Among 1980-82 Florida birth cohorts, infant mortality rates were higher for Puerto Ricans and Mexicans than for Cubans and other Hispanics. Controlling for birth weight and prenatal care had little impact on differentials, but interactions were found among marital status, maternal age, and Hispanic group identity. Contains 47 references. (SV)

This paper compares the effects of demographic, health, and socioeconomic variables on infant mortality rates in an attempt to identify the sources of racial differences in these rates. (Author/EB)

Data from 86 developing countries suggest that foreign investment and debt dependency have adverse indirect effects on child mortality--effects mediated by variables linked to industrialism theory and gender stratification theory: women's education, health, and reproductive autonomy and rate of economic growth. State strength was related to lower…

Health statistics show wide variations in risk and determinants of infant death across racial and ethnic subpopulations, a within-group advantage to being an immigrant, and the same direction of effects for mortality risk factors across groups. Efforts to lower infant mortality should benefit all groups. Contains 83 references. (TD)

In 1980 urban Brazil, race of mother significantly affected child mortality after controlling for region, income, and parent education, with a mortality gap of 6.7 years between the whites and Afro-Brazilians. Parent education, indoor plumbing, access to public health care, and presence of adult females significantly reduced the probability of…

Over 60% of Kenya's secondary schools are nongovernment community-run schools. Analysis of district-level data on adult literacy, secondary enrollment, child health and mortality, malaria prevalence, and rural development indicates that government schooling has few effects. Nongovernment schooling is associated with lower child mortality and other…