WATERING THE NEIGHBOUR'S GARDEN: THE GROWING - CICRED

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE USE OF PRENATAL DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES …
use and misuse of PNDT with prosperity of households, we used an
index of standard of living (SLI) computed from household amenities
and assets (see IIPS and ORC Macro, 2000). The reported use of
PNDT increases from three percent in low SLI households to thirty
eight percent in high SLI households. The estimated misuse among
reported PNDT users also increases from zero percent in low SLI
group to two percent in medium SLI group and thirteen percent in
high SLI group. But when adjusted for the possible misreporting of
PNDT status, the estimated misuse of PNDT in low SLI group
(twenty four percent) turns out to be as high as in high SLI group
(twenty three percent) and substantially higher than the medium SLI
group (eight percent).
Table 6 Results of logit analysis of determinants of the use of prenatal diagnostic
technologies, NFHS-2, 1998-99
Explanatory variables Coefficient
Maternal age 0.105**
Maternal age squared -0.0008
Paternal age 0.134***
Paternal age squared -0.0017***
Order of birth 3+ (no = 0) -0.260***
No surviving male sibling and order 2 or higher (yes = 0) 0.082
No surviving female sibling and order 2 or higher (yes = 0) -0.206***
Urban residence (rural = 0) 0.743***
Educational level (mother & father illiterate =0)
Mother illiterate, father literate 0.360***
Mother less than primary 0.683***
Mother middle school 0.819***
Mother high school + 1.189***
Regular exposure to mass media (no = 0) 0.661***
Standard of living (low = 0)
Moderate 0.415***
High 1.107***
Religion (Hindu = 0)
Muslim 0.101
Christian 0.485***
Sikh 0.094
Others 0.374**
Caste/tribe (others = 0)
Scheduled tribe -0.589***
Scheduled caste -0.308***
Other backward castes -0.086
(Table continues on the following page)
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