Women's Empowerment in Agriculture and Household‐Level Health in Northern Ghana: A Capability Approach

Abstract

Abstract The effect of women's empowerment on household's health status is examined for households in northern Ghana with a Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes model by using a capability approach. Household's latent health is represented by the number of stunted children, number of wasted children and number of underweight women. Demographic and socioeconomic variables are used as covariates. Results confirmed the existence of underlying latent physical health. Results showed a positive effect of women's empowerment on household's health status, with implications on its intrahousehold effect. Covariates such as father's literacy, the proportion of dependents and health expenditures are significantly associated with the health of a household. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.