ArticleBMJ paediatrics open2026
Composite index for measuring socioeconomic and regional inequalities in early childhood development in Bangladesh.
Article in BMJ paediatrics open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundEarly childhood development (ECD) is a crucial stage of rapid growth, where inadequate progress can lead to lasting impacts on learning, adaptability and future societal contribution. This study develops a composite index of ECD to measure socioeconomic and regional inequalities in Bangladesh and identify disadvantaged subpopulations.
methodsThe index was constructed using principal component analysis (PCA) applied to data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2019, covering children aged 36-59 months. The PCA on 18 indicators yielded six principal components representing distinct domains of ECD: social and emotional engagement, cognitive and linguistic development, physical development, independence, well-being and health, and the family environment. The ECD Index (ECDI) was then derived as a weighted average of scores from these six principal components, with weights reflecting the proportion of variance explained by each. Exploratory and mixed-effects regression analysis was performed to examine the variation in ECDI scores across socioeconomic groups and regions and identify the most disadvantaged subgroups and areas.
resultsThe results show that children from the richest households and those with mothers who attained higher levels of education scored significantly higher than their poorer and less-educated counterparts (p
conclusionThese disparities suggest that structural and household-level factors play a critical role in shaping child development outcomes. The findings provide evidence to inform policies targeting vulnerable groups and to promote more equitable ECD in Bangladesh.
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