Arriving at a Decision: A Semi-Parametric Approach to Institutional Birth Choice in India

42 Pages Posted: 23 Feb 2018 Last revised: 28 Mar 2019

See all articles by Prateek Bansal

Prateek Bansal

National University of Singapore (NUS)

Ricardo Daziano

Cornell University

Naveen Sunder

Cornell University, Department of Economics

Date Written: March 24, 2019

Abstract

We use nationally representative household survey data (N=157,804) to analyze the factors determining institutional births in India using the kernel multinomial logit model -- a state-of-the-art semi-parametric specification. In this study, we propose and implement a parallel computation algorithm to estimate the resource-intensive kernel MNL. Furthermore, we layout an empirical procedure to analyze the semi-parametric estimates and also to compare them with those of a conventional linear MNL model. Results from both models show that maternal education, asset level, distance to a formal health facility, and birth order play an essential role in determining birth location choice. However, we show significant differences in the marginal effect estimates derived from the two models. In fact, using a Monte Carlo study we show that the kernel MNL outperforms the linear MNL model. We argue that the flexibility offered by kernel MNL is insightful for policymakers.

Keywords: Institutional Delivery, India, Discrete Choice, Semi-parametric Methods, Revealed Preferences

JEL Classification: I25, I12, C25, C14

Suggested Citation

Bansal, Prateek and Daziano, Ricardo and Sunder, Naveen, Arriving at a Decision: A Semi-Parametric Approach to Institutional Birth Choice in India (March 24, 2019). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3122026 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3122026

Prateek Bansal (Contact Author)

National University of Singapore (NUS) ( email )

1E Kent Ridge Road
NUHS Tower Block Level 7
Singapore, 119228
Singapore

Ricardo Daziano

Cornell University ( email )

Ithaca, NY 14853
United States

Naveen Sunder

Cornell University, Department of Economics ( email )

Ithaca, NY
United States

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