The effects of changes in distance to nearest health facility on under-5 mortality and health care utilization in rural Malawi, 1980–1998

Table 3 Association between distance to nearest facility and under-5 mortality

Variables	(1) U5M	(2) U5M	(3) U5M	(4) U5M
Distance (km)	1.011*** (1.005–1.018)	1.007** (1.001–1.014)	1.007** (1.001–1.014)	1.007** (1.000–1.013)
First birth				1.000 (0.909–1.100)
Twin				2.898*** (2.579–3.256)
Mother under 19				1.436*** (1.310–1.573)
Mother over 35				1.025 (0.920–1.143)
Mother has primary education				0.813*** (0.763–0.866)
Mother has secondary education				0.381*** (0.242–0.599)
Year dummies?	NO	YES	YES	YES
Month dummies?	NO	NO	YES	YES
Total children	18,714	18,714	18,714	18,714
Total deaths	3887	3887	3887	3887
Total child-months	737,547	737,547	737,547	737,547

Notes: U5M under-5 mortality
Hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) from proportional hazards models. Distance is linear distance to nearest health facility from village centroid. The coefficient on the distance variable represents the HR for a one-kilometer increase in distance. The reference category for mother’s education is ‘less than primary’, and for mother’s age is ‘19–35 years old’
*** p < 0.01
** p < 0.05
* p < 0.1

ISSN: 1472-6963