The education of women strongly correlated to decreased childhood mortality

The Sept. 18 issue of The Lancet featured an article titled "The benefits of educating women" in which John Cleland highlighted a recent study linking parental education and child mortality in developing nations.

The claim was made that "Mothers' schooling is a more decisive influence than is fathers." The correlation between a mother's mindful care of her children and survival is much higher than the correlation of increased income.

The study concludes that the reduction in child mortality is in large part due to the increased education of women since 1970 in the countries studied.

Mothers tend to have more influence over sickness, disease prevention and hygiene. Also relevant, the more education a mother has received, the more likely she will be to take her child to a health care facility.

The study, done by Emmanuela Gakidou, also connected the education of women to decreased birth rates, which stabilize population growth and decrease poverty.

With education playing such a large role in developing nations, it is no doubt education also plays a decisive role in the lives of Utah women and their families. Studies continue to conclude that educating women is a crucial component of having successful families and a diversified and functional economy.

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