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Early-Life Health and Adult Circumstance in Developing Countries

Author

Listed:
  • Janet Currie

    (Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08540)

  • Tom Vogl

    (Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08540)

Abstract

A growing literature documents the links between long-term outcomes and health in the fetal period, infancy, and early childhood. Much of this literature focuses on rich countries, but researchers are increasingly taking advantage of new sources of data and identification to study the long reach of childhood health in developing countries. Health in early life may be a more significant determinant of adult outcomes in these countries because health insults are more frequent, the capacity to remediate is more limited, and multiple shocks may interact. However, the underlying relationships may also be more difficult to measure, given significant mortality selection. We survey recent evidence on the adult correlates of early-life health and the long-term effects of shocks resulting from disease, famine, malnutrition, pollution, and war.

Suggested Citation

  • Janet Currie & Tom Vogl, 2013. "Early-Life Health and Adult Circumstance in Developing Countries," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 5(1), pages 1-36, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:anr:reveco:v:5:y:2013:p:1-36
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    File URL: http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-economics-081412-103704
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    health production; fetal origins; critical periods;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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