Child health in Uganda: Policy determinants and measurement

This paper uses data on anthropometric status and reported illness in Uganda to estimate the socio-economic determinants of children's health. After controlling for endogeneity, we find higher household income greatly raises child health. Parental education also improves the health of pre-schoolers when measured by anthropometric indicators, but not when measured by reported illness. This suggests a serious reporting bias with using the reported illness as a health indicator for children and raises questions over the reliability of such data for future empirical analysis. No consistent benefits for child health are identified from policy variables for water, infrastructure or local health services.