Consequences of ‘Color’ in Family, Place, and Child Mortality in São Paulo, Brazil

Kuniko Chijiwa, University of Florida

This study addresses the relationship between race/ethnicity and child mortality in São Paulo, Brazil, via statistical and spatial modeling. Using three Brazilian censuses (1960, 1980, 2000), this research identifies racial variations in child outcomes and reappraises the traditional racial stratification system in Brazil. Analyses include Brazil’s largely understudied Japanese population, family/household variables, and community-level attributes by employing negative binomial models, which are appropriate for count data. In addition to multilevel statistical modeling, the global effects of race/ethnicity, family structure, and community on child mortality are further explored by employing Geographically Weighted Regression, which provides less biased parameter estimates in reflecting spatial process and variations. With a multiple method approach, this research seeks to delve deeper into a neglected aspect of the Brazilian system of racial-social stratification, which, in turn, provides a more comprehensive understanding of the relationships between racial background, health, and ecological factors in Brazil.