PRIMARY HEALTH CARE AND CHILD MORTALITY AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH THE WEALTH STATUS IN GHANA FROM THE 20TH CENTURY

Abstract: Cross-country data links good health status to an increase in wealth status (income levels) as evidenced by existing prevalence of rates of child morbidity and mortality in poorer settings. Essentially, Primary Health Care amongst other affordable health interventions is prioritized in most countries now. This thesis focuses on Ghana, to establish whether there exists an association between wealth and child mortality including other health determinants to help identify high-risk regions with the low source of health funding. The thesis utilizes cross-sectional data from six surveys conducted by the Demographic and Health Surveys between 1988 to 2014 and employs a linear probability model to analyze the data. The results show on individual levels, health determinants like the first set of vaccines given to children who own health cards were consistently likely to be associated with child mortality reduction. Whilst richer households in the highest quintiles are also likely to be associated with child mortality reduction but not consistently significant. Evidence from regional levels also show vaccination is not very effective in some regions and at least secondary education level of women is likely to lower child mortality rate.