Climate change, poverty and child health inequality: evidence from Vietnam’s provincial analysis

This paper investigates how climate change and poverty affect child health inequality across 63 provinces in Vietnam from 2006 to 2023. By examining deaths and economic losses from storms and floods, we assess climate change’s impact; while, infant mortality rate (IMR) and under-5 mortality rate (U5MR) serve as indicators of child health inequality. Findings reveal that climate change directly worsens child health inequality and exacerbates it indirectly by increasing poverty. Notably, the effects on U5MR are more pronounced than on IMR. Additionally, child vaccinations, healthcare infrastructure, and access to clean water are vital in reducing health disparities and mitigating climate change’s harmful effects on child health.