THE IMPACTS OF SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS ON ACCESS TO UTILITY SERVICES IN BRAZIL

The aim of this study is to assess the sociodemographic determinants that drive the access to utilities in Brazilian households. We employ the Brazilian household budget survey (POF 2017-2018) and then we estimate a multivariate probit. Our results show how regional heterogeneity is one of the main drivers of access to more essential utilities, such as electricity, water, and sewage. Furthermore, income and ethnicity also play a role as determining the accessibility to utilities, which reinforces the hypothesis of racial inequalities in Brazil. On the other hand, family size and composition were evidenced as minor determinants on the acquisition of utilities. We show how Brazil has a critical need of public policies that promote the access to utilities in northern regions.