Abstract:

The extent to which a child is expose to health risks determines the level to which the child contracts disease and mortality. Invariable, exogenous factors such as education, health, and access to safe water supply, improved sanitation and household hygiene are crucial in lowering morbidity and improving better child survival, particularly in sub Saharan Africa with high prevalence of poor health system and poverty. Child morbidity is highly influenced by socio-environmental practices of the mother and household. Nigeria has a very high child mortality rates (128) and one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDG) – Goal 3, is to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. And specifically, to achieve reduction of under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1000 live births by 2030. The objective of the study, therefore, was to examine the relationship between mothers’ socio-environmental factors on morbidity and survival of under five children in Nigeria. The study was based on secondary data from the 2017 Covenant University Public Health and Wellbeing Research Cluster survey on determinants of child morbidity and survival in Ogun State, Southwest Nigeria. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and regression analysis using STATA Version 12 and 1350 respondents constituted the sample size. Results showed that Spouse’s Education (X² = 51.3364, P = 0.017); Education(X² = 54.3682, P = 0.008); Occupation (X² = 81.2618, P = 0.002); Main Source of Water Supply(X² = 92.3039, P = 0.000); Type of Cooking Fuel (X² = 151.4463, P = 0.000); Time Needed to obtain Treatment for Child at the Health Facility (X² = 107.5417, P = 0.000) and Immunization Status (X² = 37.7490, P = 0.002) have significant effect on child morbidity status though spouse’s education showed the least  level of significance. Therefore, the study suggests health education and socio-economic empowerment for both mothers and their spouses in the campaign towards reduction of child morbidity, mortality and survival in the study area and by extension Nigeria.