Urbanization and Child Growth Failure in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Geographical Analysis

Keywords: urbanization, child growth failure, Sub-Saharan Africa
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Friday
Session Start / End Time: 2/25/2022 05:20 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/25/2022 06:40 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 74

Abstract

This paper raises a fundamental question about Sub-Saharan Africa: has urbanization
there been accompanied by improvements in personal wellbeing? It then proceeds to open an
investigation focused on child health—in the form of child growth failure, including (i) stunting;
(ii) wasting; and (iii) underweight—that addresses the question. The main contribution of the
work is to reconcile an array of data, collected across different spatial scales and over different
timeframes, in a manner that enables some preliminary insight into the relationships explored.
Evidence derived from the analysis suggests that the wave of urbanization breaking across Sub-Saharan Africa is associated with improvements in wellbeing, a finding that is qualified by need
for further research.