Determinants of Poverty in Malawi using the Fifth Integrated Household Survey
Steven Henry Dunga 
& Redson Mwandama
Issue: Vol.6 No.8 Article 19 pp.1520 – 1532
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256819 | Published online 11th July, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
This study examined the factors influencing poverty in Malawi, using the Fifth Integrated Household Survey (IHS5). Using a binary logistic regression model, the analysis identified key socioeconomic determinants of poverty status, such as employment type, education level, household size, dependency ratio, and geographical location. The findings revealed that households in informal employment, larger households and higher dependency ratios are more likely to experience poverty. In contrast, higher educational attainment and urban residency reduce the risk of poverty. The study highlights the ongoing rural-urban divide and emphasises the transformative impact of education and access to formal employment on the reduction of poverty.
Keywords: Poverty, Access to Credit, Rural-Urban Divide, Dependency Ratio, Employment Status
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Steven Henry Dunga is a Professor of Economics at North-West University, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa. His research focuses on development economics, poverty analysis, and household welfare.
Redson Mwandama is a Master’s student in Economics at the University of Malawi, Zomba, Malawi. His research interests include poverty dynamics, economic policy, development economics, and sustainable development.
Dunga, Steven Henry, and Redson Mwandama. “Determinants of Poverty in Malawi using the Fifth Integrated Household Survey ,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no.8 (2025): 1520 – 1532. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256819
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
