Social inequalities in maternal mortality among the provinces of Ecuador
ABSTRACT Objective This study set out to describe the association between the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) estimates and a set of socioeconomic indicators and compute the MMR inequalities among the provinces of Ecuador. Methods A cross-sectional ecological study was conducted, using data for 2014...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:26addbb474fb416c9ac4f7436b1d074f 2023-05-15T15:12:28+02:00 Social inequalities in maternal mortality among the provinces of Ecuador Antonio Sanhueza Jakeline Calle Roldán Paulina Ríos-Quituizaca Maria Cecilia Acuña Isabel Espinosa 2017-06-01T00:00:00Z https://doaj.org/article/26addbb474fb416c9ac4f7436b1d074f EN ES PT eng spa por Pan American Health Organization http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1020-49892017000100234&lng=en&tlng=en https://doaj.org/toc/1680-5348 1680-5348 https://doaj.org/article/26addbb474fb416c9ac4f7436b1d074f Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública, Vol 41, Iss 0 (2017) Mortalidad materna desigualdades en la salud determinantes sociales de la salud equidad en salud Ecuador América Latina Medicine R Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 article 2017 ftdoajarticles 2022-12-31T02:42:33Z ABSTRACT Objective This study set out to describe the association between the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) estimates and a set of socioeconomic indicators and compute the MMR inequalities among the provinces of Ecuador. Methods A cross-sectional ecological study was conducted, using data for 2014 from the country’s 24 provinces. The MMR estimate was calculated for each province, as well as the association and its strength between MMR and specific socioeconomic indicators. For the indicators that were found to be significantly associated with MMR, inequality measurements were computed. Results Despite a relatively low MMR for Ecuador overall, ratios differed substantially among the provinces. Five socioeconomic indicators proved to be statistically significantly associated with MMR: total fertility rate, the percentage of indigenous population, the percentage of households with children who do not attend school, gross domestic product, and the percentage of houses with electrical service. Of these five, only three had MMR inequalities that were significant: total fertility rate, gross domestic product, and the percentage of households with electricity. Conclusions This study supports research arguing that national averages can be misleading, as they often hide differences among subgroups at the local level. The findings also suggest that MMR is significantly associated with some socioeconomic indicators, including ones linked with significant health outcome inequalities. In order to reduce health inequities, it is crucial that countries look beyond national averages and identify the subgroups being left behind, explore the particular social determinants that generate these health inequalities, and examine the specific barriers and other factors affecting the subgroups most vulnerable to maternal health inequalities. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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ftdoajarticles |
language |
English Spanish Portuguese |
topic |
Mortalidad materna desigualdades en la salud determinantes sociales de la salud equidad en salud Ecuador América Latina Medicine R Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 |
spellingShingle |
Mortalidad materna desigualdades en la salud determinantes sociales de la salud equidad en salud Ecuador América Latina Medicine R Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 Antonio Sanhueza Jakeline Calle Roldán Paulina Ríos-Quituizaca Maria Cecilia Acuña Isabel Espinosa Social inequalities in maternal mortality among the provinces of Ecuador |
topic_facet |
Mortalidad materna desigualdades en la salud determinantes sociales de la salud equidad en salud Ecuador América Latina Medicine R Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 |
description |
ABSTRACT Objective This study set out to describe the association between the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) estimates and a set of socioeconomic indicators and compute the MMR inequalities among the provinces of Ecuador. Methods A cross-sectional ecological study was conducted, using data for 2014 from the country’s 24 provinces. The MMR estimate was calculated for each province, as well as the association and its strength between MMR and specific socioeconomic indicators. For the indicators that were found to be significantly associated with MMR, inequality measurements were computed. Results Despite a relatively low MMR for Ecuador overall, ratios differed substantially among the provinces. Five socioeconomic indicators proved to be statistically significantly associated with MMR: total fertility rate, the percentage of indigenous population, the percentage of households with children who do not attend school, gross domestic product, and the percentage of houses with electrical service. Of these five, only three had MMR inequalities that were significant: total fertility rate, gross domestic product, and the percentage of households with electricity. Conclusions This study supports research arguing that national averages can be misleading, as they often hide differences among subgroups at the local level. The findings also suggest that MMR is significantly associated with some socioeconomic indicators, including ones linked with significant health outcome inequalities. In order to reduce health inequities, it is crucial that countries look beyond national averages and identify the subgroups being left behind, explore the particular social determinants that generate these health inequalities, and examine the specific barriers and other factors affecting the subgroups most vulnerable to maternal health inequalities. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Antonio Sanhueza Jakeline Calle Roldán Paulina Ríos-Quituizaca Maria Cecilia Acuña Isabel Espinosa |
author_facet |
Antonio Sanhueza Jakeline Calle Roldán Paulina Ríos-Quituizaca Maria Cecilia Acuña Isabel Espinosa |
author_sort |
Antonio Sanhueza |
title |
Social inequalities in maternal mortality among the provinces of Ecuador |
title_short |
Social inequalities in maternal mortality among the provinces of Ecuador |
title_full |
Social inequalities in maternal mortality among the provinces of Ecuador |
title_fullStr |
Social inequalities in maternal mortality among the provinces of Ecuador |
title_full_unstemmed |
Social inequalities in maternal mortality among the provinces of Ecuador |
title_sort |
social inequalities in maternal mortality among the provinces of ecuador |
publisher |
Pan American Health Organization |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://doaj.org/article/26addbb474fb416c9ac4f7436b1d074f |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_source |
Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública, Vol 41, Iss 0 (2017) |
op_relation |
http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1020-49892017000100234&lng=en&tlng=en https://doaj.org/toc/1680-5348 1680-5348 https://doaj.org/article/26addbb474fb416c9ac4f7436b1d074f |
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1766343142526681088 |