Global health research has long faced a paradox: That the school attainment of mothers is associated – strongly, independently and in most less-developed countries – with reduced child mortality and other beneficial health outcomes, but no consensus has emerged about why or how this happens. A new book from our Project on Maternal Schooling at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Literacy and Mothering, tackles this problem directly, not only with a detailed theoretical explanation but also with evidence from literacy assessments of mothers in four countries: Mexico, Nepal, Venezuela and Zambia.
In Seattle we often are fortunate enough to have access to a good health clinic or physician, where we can go for regular check-ups and screening tests, get necessary immunizations, address our reproductive health needs, get assessed and treated for many illnesses or injuries, and obtain referrals when we need care that the clinic does not provide. This kind of accessible, integrated care, with its focus on prevention, standard treatment for common health problems, and monitoring of chronic conditions is good for individuals, families, and communities. Yet many people around the world face a much different health care picture.
