Contrasting causal pathways contribute to poorer health and nutrition outcomes in orphans in Zimbabwe.

Orphaned children have been found to be at greater risk of poor health and malnutrition compared to non-orphans in sub-Saharan African countries. However, levels of disadvantage vary by location and little is known about the causal pathways that lead from orphanhood to poorer health and malnutrition. Aggregate data from recent Demographic and Health Surveys in 22 countries were used to compare overall levels of ill-health and malnutrition by orphan status.