Spatial Patterns and Socio-Demographic Determinants of the Decision Maker on Large Household Purchases in Nigeria: A Bayesian Semi-parametric Geo-Additive Model

摘要

The member of family who makes final decision on household purchases is a phenomenon that may pose a psychological problem for a potential father and mother in Nigerian households. This paper examines the possible relationship between the decision maker, socio-demographic features of the couples and geographical variations. Data used for this analysis came from the 2013 Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). Conventional parametric regression models are not flexible enough to cope with possibly nonlinear effects of the continuous covariates and cannot flexibly model favourably spatial influences. As a result, a semi-parametric model using the Bayesian approach was adopted to evaluate the relationship of covariates of different types and possible spatial variation. Binomial probit model for 2-category responses and unordered multinomial probit model for 4-category responses were considered. Findings reveal some spatial variations with distinct high significant outcome in favour of the fathers as final decision makers in some states in the south-west, north-central, north-east and south-south zones of Nigeria. The effect of father’s and mother’s age were nonlinear. Regions, educational level, and couple’s income contribute significantly. Results also show that most fathers who have final say on household purchases are between ages of 25 and 80 after which a sharp drop is noticed, while a wife’s drops slowly before the age of 25. There is need to empower more women in the regions where the man as the father is the decision maker on household purchases in the area of provision of quality education and good employment.