Onyango A, Tucker K, Eisemon T
School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, Canada.
Soc Sci Med. 1994 Dec;39(12):1633-9. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(94)90077-9.
The effect of female household headship on child nutrition has been hypothesized by some to be negative, based on the assumption that mothers alone will be poorer and will have greater demands on their time and resources. On the other hand, there is some evidence in Kenya that the nutritional status of children of female heads may be better than that of children of male heads, suggesting that when women have more control over resources, more goes to the children. In Kenya, de facto female headship is common due to male labor migration. This study examines the relationship between child nutrition and de facto female vs male household headship in western Kenya through the examination of family income and decision making patterns. Women in male-headed households had greater financial responsibility for household maintenance. Female heads assumed more farming responsibilities and had higher remittances from husbands. Husbands of female heads purchased food and other goods in the city for use by the household. Male headed households produced more food crops and used a larger proportion of them for home consumption. In this study, children of female heads consumed a greater variety of foods. Despite a greater prevalence of stunting, there was a lower prevalence of low weight for age among children of female heads. However, in statistical analyses, headship did not relate significantly to nutritional intake or status. In attempting to understand the possible factors influencing the relationship between headship and nutritional status, we found trade-offs in the ways families were coping, which appeared to balance some of the negative and positive effects of each situation.
一些人基于这样的假设，即仅由母亲当家会更贫困，且对她们的时间和资源需求更大，推测女性户主对儿童营养状况有负面影响。另一方面，在肯尼亚有一些证据表明，女性户主家庭中孩子的营养状况可能比男性户主家庭中孩子的营养状况更好，这表明当女性对资源有更多控制权时，会有更多资源用于孩子。在肯尼亚，由于男性劳动力迁移，实际的女性户主情况很常见。本研究通过考察家庭收入和决策模式，探讨肯尼亚西部儿童营养状况与实际的女性户主家庭和男性户主家庭之间的关系。男性户主家庭中的女性对家庭维持有更大的经济责任。女性户主承担了更多的农事责任，且从丈夫那里得到更高的汇款。女性户主的丈夫在城市购买食品和其他物品供家庭使用。男性户主家庭种植更多粮食作物，且将更大比例的作物用于家庭消费。在本研究中，女性户主家庭的孩子食用的食物种类更多。尽管发育迟缓的发生率更高，但女性户主家庭中年龄别低体重的发生率较低。然而，在统计分析中，户主身份与营养摄入或营养状况并无显著关联。在试图理解影响户主身份与营养状况之间关系的可能因素时，我们发现家庭应对方式存在权衡，这似乎平衡了每种情况的一些负面和正面影响。
