Child Health and Maternal Labour Supply: A Chi Square Approach

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Author	Mbu Daniel Tambi, Karh Justin Nkwelle
ISSN	2225-7217
On Pages	172-182
Volume No.	2
Issue No.	2
Issue Date	May 01, 2020
Publishing Date	May 01, 2020
Keywords	Child health, maternal labour supply, family income, Chi square, Socio-economic, Cameroon

Abstract

This study attempts to examine the socioeconomic effects of child health on maternal labour supply in rural Cameroon, using the x� approach. The subject of child health and its influence on maternal labour supply and family income after child birth is of growing importance due to the significant increase in child health problems in sub Saharan Africa and Cameroon in particular. We used primary data, collected in Tombel with a random sample survey of 100 questionnaires. Based on our objectives and hypothesis, the x� test of independence is used to determine the relationship between child health and maternal labour supply and family income. The result obtained on child health - maternal labour relationship shows that x� calculated value (6.68) is greater than the x� critical value (3.841) implying that there is a strong correlation between child health and maternal labour force participation. Further, the contingency coefficient (CC) of 25% compared to the contingency maximum (Cmax) of 70.7% also reveals a positive relationship. On the other hand, the result obtained from child health and family income relationship shows that the x� calculated value (92.43) is greater than the x� critical value (3.841), implying a significant relationship between child health and family income. Similarly, the contingency coefficient of 28% compared to the contingency maximum of 70.7% means a positively moderate relationship. Socio -Economically, this result implies that poor child health affects negatively the time spent by women in activities such as agricultural practices, food preparation, marketing and consequently the income of the household�..etc. On the basis of this results, we recommend that; decision makers should encourage mutual health registration in the rural zones so as to reduce the rate of self-medication; mothers should be educated on preventive health and first aid measures as propagated by PLAN-Cameroon.

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