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The effect of an early education program on adult health: The Carolina abecedarian project randomized controlled trial

Author

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  • Muennig, P.
  • Robertson, D.
  • Johnson, G.
  • Campbell, F.
  • Pungello, E.P.
  • Neidell, M.

Abstract

Methods. ABC randomized 111 infants to receive an intensive early education program or nutritional supplements and parental counseling alone; participants have been followed to the present day. We examined the effect of ABC on health outcomes and behavioral risk factors when participants were aged 21 years, and then explored the mediators of this relationship. Results. Relative to the control group, the ABC treatment group was previously found to have improved cognition and educational attainment. We found that the intervention also improved heath (P=.05) and health behaviors (P=.03) when participants were aged 21 years. These improvements in behaviors were not mediated by IQ, math and reading scores at 15 years of age, educational attainment, or health insurance. Conclusions. Effective early education programs may improve health and reduce risky health behaviors in adulthood.

Suggested Citation

  • Muennig, P. & Robertson, D. & Johnson, G. & Campbell, F. & Pungello, E.P. & Neidell, M., 2011. "The effect of an early education program on adult health: The Carolina abecedarian project randomized controlled trial," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 101(3), pages 512-516.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2010.200063_8
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2010.200063
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    Cited by:

    1. Gabriella Conti & James J. Heckman & Rodrigo Pinto, 2016. "The Effects of Two Influential Early Childhood Interventions on Health and Healthy Behaviour," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 126(596), pages 28-65, October.
    2. Raquel Bernal & Michele Giannola & Milagros Nores, 2022. "The Effect of Center-Based Early Education on Disadvantaged Children's Developmental Trajectories: Experimental Evidence from Colombia," Working Papers 2022-027, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    3. Shannon Monahan & Jaime Thomas & Dianne Paulsell & Lauren Murphy, "undated". "Learning about Infant and Toddler Early Education Services (LITES): A Systematic Review of the Evidence," Mathematica Policy Research Reports cfbc6dd280134471b144b4de8, Mathematica Policy Research.
    4. Farhana Borg & Niklas Gericke, 2021. "Local and Global Aspects: Teaching Social Sustainability in Swedish Preschools," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-17, March.
    5. David M. Cutler & Adriana Lleras-Muney, 2012. "Education and Health: Insights from International Comparisons," NBER Working Papers 17738, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Muennig, Peter, 2015. "Can universal pre-kindergarten programs improve population health and longevity? Mechanisms, evidence, and policy implications," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 116-123.
    7. Greve, Jane & Schultz-Nielsen, Marie Louise & Tekin, Erdal, 2017. "Fetal malnutrition and academic success: Evidence from Muslim immigrants in Denmark," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 20-35.
    8. Gabriella Conti & James J. Heckman, 2012. "The Developmental Approach to Child and Adult Health," NBER Working Papers 18664, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Gabriella Conti & James J. Heckman & Rodrigo Pinto, 2016. "The Effects of Two Influential Early Childhood Interventions on Health and Healthy Behaviour," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 126(596), pages 28-65, October.
    10. Belfield, Clive R. & Kelly, Inas Rashad, 2013. "Early education and health outcomes of a 2001 U.S. Birth Cohort," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 11(3), pages 310-325.
    11. Shixi Kang & Jingwen Tan, 2021. "Can Education Motivate Individual Health Demands? Dynamic Pseudo-panel Evidence from China's Immigration," Papers 2112.01046, arXiv.org.
    12. Hong, Kai & Dragan, Kacie & Glied, Sherry, 2019. "Seeing and hearing: The impacts of New York City’s universal pre-kindergarten program on the health of low-income children," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 93-107.
    13. Nores, Milagros & Bernal, Raquel & Barnett, W. Steven, 2019. "Center-based care for infants and toddlers: The aeioTU randomized trial," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 30-43.
    14. Samuel, Laura J. & Glass, Thomas A. & Thorpe, Roland J. & Szanton, Sarah L. & Roth, David L., 2015. "Household and neighborhood conditions partially account for associations between education and physical capacity in the National Health and Aging Trends Study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 67-75.
    15. Peter Muennig & Meghan Kuebler & Jaeseung Kim & Dusan Todorovic & Zohn Rosen, 2013. "Gender Differences in Material, Psychological, and Social Domains of the Income Gradient in Mortality: Implications for Policy," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(3), pages 1-8, March.
    16. Zafar Zafari & Katherine M Keyes & Boshen Jiao & Sharifa Z Williams & Peter Alexander Muennig, 2020. "Differences between blacks and whites in well-being, beliefs, emotional states, behaviors and survival, 1978-2014," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(9), pages 1-14, September.

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