Abstract/Overview
v ABSTRACT Fertility and geographical segregation are some of the major factors influencing human population growth. The fertility rate of Kisumu East Sub County is rated at 4.8 per woman exceeding the average for the county, national and the global which is 4.2, 3.4 and 2.3 respectively per woman. It has been established that the segregation may influence fertility, however, it was not well understood how various aspects of segregation influence fertility. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of geographical segregation on fertility of women. Specific objectives were to: establish the influence of exposure on the number of children; determine the influence of concentration on the number of children; determine the influence of centralization on the number of children; and establish the influence of clustering on the number of children born per woman. This study was guided by Becker's economics theory of fertility and Hägerstrand theory of Spatial diffusion. A minimum sample size of 384 women respondents aged between 18-49 years were obtained as determined by the Fisher’s formula and selected using stratified random sampling, cluster and snowball sampling techniques. Purposive sampling was employed to identify key informants. Primary data were gathered by questionnaires, KI interviews and FGDs. Secondary data were collected from DHS reports, census reports, and un-published media. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics: gamma statistics, spearman’s rank correlation coefficients, multiple logistic regressions, multiple correlation coefficient and multinomial logistic regression. Qualitative data were analysed by coding, creating categories, themes and patterns then evaluating the usefulness of the information in answering the research questions. The results showed that sharing common centres and mean number of children born per woman, had a strong significant positive relationship (r=0.675). Daily and weekly social interactions showed a strong positive significant linear correlation with fertility (r =0.732, p = 0.03). Cultural norm was a major factor likely to influence the first and the last childbirth. Moreover, there is a strong positive and statistically significant linear correlation (r =0.50, p = 0.04) between social interactions and number of children born. Gamma statistic coefficient of 0.493 indicated moderately strong positive association between levels of geographical concentrations and number of children born. Number of children born correlated negatively (r =- 0.612, p=0.02) with low geographical concentration. The results showed that the correlations between centralization and number of children born was strong and positive (r=0.625, p=0.026). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that 81.5% of variation of number of children born per woman could be predicted from the combined influence of length of stay in the neighbourhood and mean monthly income. The study recommended that productive social interactions like seminars, conferences and group meetings should be highly encouraged among women through setting up public arenas for social gathering where women can meet for exchange of vital reproductive information. Emphasis should be put on women empowerment and reproductive health.