Estimating seasonality effects on child mortality in Matlab, Bangladesh

This paper estimates the net effect of seasonality on child mortality in Matlab. Results suggest that childhood mortality was well above the average monthly level in the hot, dry month of April and in November, the first harvest month of the aman crop. It was found to be remarkably low in the postharvest months of February and March, and also in August. During the hungry months of September and October, children were at a considerably increased risk of mortality, particularly from diarrheal diseases, if mothers had no schooling, but this was not the case if mothers had schooling. The protective effect of the Matlab interventions on childhood death from diarrheal diseases was also greater during the hungry months than during other months of the year.