Household Decision-Making Patterns Among Married Women in India: A Latent Class Analysis

Background: Traditionally, household decision-making in India has been predominantly dominated by male family members, relegating women to subordinate positions within the family structure. This dynamic heightens women's vulnerability to family violence, early marriage, career disruptions, caregiving roles, and joblessness, thereby exacerbating mental and physical health issues. Decision-making autonomy, encompassing access and capabilities, is intricately linked to factors such as female labor force participation. Despite strides in economic development and advancements in female education, female labor force participation rates persist at low levels, with a downward trend. Notably, the correlation between female labor force participation and decision-making autonomy remains underexplored within the Indian context. Guided by a capability framework, our study endeavors to explore (1) the influence of employment status on women's decision-making processes, and (2) the extent to which this influence is moderated by individual and spousal educational attainment while controlling for socio-demographic variables, including age, geographic location, marital status, and wealth index.

Method: This cross-sectional investigation analyzes household decision-making dynamics among 72,170 women in India, utilizing data from the 2019-21 India Demographic and Health Survey (IDHS). The study focuses on women's reports on decision-making within the household, assessed through six specific questions addressing financial management, healthcare, major household purchases, family visits, and personal mobility. Responses were categorized into four codes: 1 = wife, 2 = both partners, 3 = husband, and 4 = others. Employing latent class analysis, the study identifies three distinct decision-making profiles: Egalitarian (66.65%), characterized by collaborative decision-making; Independent (18.85%), where women independently manage all household affairs; and Conservative (14.49%), where household decisions are primarily perceived as the husband's responsibility, with limited autonomy for women.

Findings: Educational parity with partners emerged as a significant factor, with 56.54% sharing similar educational levels, while 30.41% had lower qualifications than their partners. Moreover, 66.36% of women were unemployed, while 18.34% were involved in agricultural occupations. The multivariate analysis revealed substantial differences between Independent/Egalitarian and Conservative women. Key socio-economic factors such as education parity with spouses, employment status, age, geographic location, and wealth index significantly influenced the likelihood of aligning with Independent or Egalitarian decision-making paradigms. Notably, rural women exhibited a reduced likelihood of aligning with independent/egalitarian decision-making compared to conservatism. This finding, in line with our capabilities approach framework, underscores the persistent impact of patriarchal norms, highlighting disparities in women's decision-making autonomy despite their economic contributions, particularly in rural/agricultural settings.

Discussion: The findings highlight the urgent need to enhance decision-making capabilities and agency among women, particularly for women engaged in the agricultural domain. In summary, this research reveals the complex dynamics of household decision-making among women in India, particularly in light of disparities in employment and education compared to their male counterparts. It questions entrenched patriarchal narratives and illuminates a noticeable societal shift over time, departing from earlier literature that focused on women's disempowerment in this sphere. Additionally, this warrants further investigation into how this trend has evolved over the past two decades and the factors contributing to these changes.