Nutritional assesment of rural villages and estates in Peninsular Malaysia: I. Socio-economic profile of households
1997
Chee, H.L. (Putra Malaysia Univ., Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia). Faculty of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Dept. of Nutrition and Community Health) | Khor, G.L. | Tee, E.S.
A nutritional study was carried out on six (five rural and one urban) low income groups in Peninsular Malaysia from 1992-1995. In this paper, the socio-economic data for the five rural groups - padi farmers, rubber smallholders, coconut smallholders, estate workers, and fishermen - are presented. With the exception of the estate workers, the sample was predominantly Malay, with an overall mean household size of 5.30. Household incomes were generally low, and 47 percent of all households had incomes that were below the poverty line income (PLI) of RM405. Based on this PLI, the prevalence of poverty was above 50 percent among the padi, rubber, coconut, and fishing households. Nevertheless, the study population appeared to be better off in terms of the other indicators examined. Poultry rearing, for example, was widespread in the padi, rubber, and coconut villages; 65 percent of all households owned at least one motorised vehicle, 53 percent owned a refrigerator, and 83 percent owned a television set. Futhermore, over 80 percent of all households had access to piped water, 96 percent had electricity supply, and over 90 percent had a flush or pour-flush latrine. In comparison to the 1979-1983 poverty villages study (Chong et al., 1984), the households in the current study enjoyed better living conditions. Strict comparisons between the two studies, however, is difficult owing to the different criteria adopted in the selection of the study villages.
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