An Analysis Of Birth Intervals In Bangladesh Using Frailty Models

Abstract

This research dealt with the extension of the Cox's proportional hazards model that allows for heterogeneity among the responses due to random effects of covariates using frailty (random effect) approach. The results of this study showed that the Gaussian frailty model is better for the data than gamma frailty model and the unobserved cluster effect has a sizeable impact on the second birth spacing in Bangladesh. This research also showed the current pattern of the second birth spacing in Bangladesh and different demographic and socio-economic factors which affect the second birth spacing. It was found that mother’s education, survival status of 1st birth, region, place of residence and mother's age of marriage have great influence for the variation of the second birth spacing. Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Sci. 42(2): 243-249, December 2016