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The Effects of Adolescent Health on Educational Outcomes: Causal Evidence Using Genetic Lotteries between Siblings

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  • Fletcher Jason M.

    (Yale University)

  • Lehrer Steven F

    (Queen’s University and NBER)

Abstract

There has been growing interest in using specific genetic markers as instrumental variables in attempts to assess causal relationships between health status and socioeconomic outcomes, including human capital accumulation. In this paper, we use a combination of family fixed effects and genetic marker instruments to estimate the causal effects of poor adolescent mental and physical health status on years of completed schooling. By exploiting the genetic variation in inheritance within families, this empirical strategy presents a unique opportunity to isolate the variation in genetic factors from other dynastic and family characteristics. We present evidence that inattentive symptoms in early childhood have large lasting effects in reducing completed schooling. We also find little consistent evidence that adolescent overweight status influences years of schooling completed.

Suggested Citation

  • Fletcher Jason M. & Lehrer Steven F, 2009. "The Effects of Adolescent Health on Educational Outcomes: Causal Evidence Using Genetic Lotteries between Siblings," Forum for Health Economics & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 12(2), pages 1-33, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:fhecpo:v:12:y:2009:i:2:n:8
    DOI: 10.2202/1558-9544.1180
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Cook, C. Justin & Fletcher, Jason M., 2015. "Can education rescue genetic liability for cognitive decline?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 159-170.
    2. Savelyev, Peter A. & Ward, Benjamin C. & Krueger, Robert F. & McGue, Matt, 2022. "Health endowments, schooling allocation in the family, and longevity: Evidence from US twins," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    3. Vikesh Amin & Jere R. Behrman & Jason M. Fletcher & Carlos A. Flores & Alfonso Flores‐Lagunes & Hans‐Peter Kohler, 2021. "Genetic risks, adolescent health, and schooling attainment," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(11), pages 2905-2920, November.
    4. Joseph Sabia & Daniel Rees, 2015. "Body weight, mental health capital, and academic achievement," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 653-684, September.
    5. Arulsamy, Karen & Delaney, Liam, 2022. "The impact of automatic enrolment on the mental health gap in pension participation: Evidence from the UK," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    6. Owen Thompson, 2014. "Economic Background and Educational Attainment: The Role of Gene-Environment Interactions," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 49(2), pages 263-294.
    7. Fletcher, Jason M. & Lehrer, Steven F., 2011. "Genetic lotteries within families," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 647-659, July.
    8. Dalsgaard, Søren & Nielsen, Helena Skyt & Simonsen, Marianne, 2012. "The Effects of Pharmacological Treatment of ADHD on Children's Health," IZA Discussion Papers 6714, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. Arlette Simo-Fotso, 2016. "Human Capital Accumulation of Disabled Children:Does Disability Really Matter?," Working Papers 222, Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED).
    10. Jared C. Carbone & Snorre Kverndokk, 2016. "Individual Investments in Education and Health: Policy Responses and Interactions," CESifo Working Paper Series 6154, CESifo.
    11. Petter Lundborg & Paul Nystedt & Dan-Olof Rooth, 2014. "Body Size, Skills, and Income: Evidence From 150,000 Teenage Siblings," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(5), pages 1573-1596, October.
    12. Steven F. Lehrer & Weili Ding, 2017. "What is the role for molecular genetic data in public policy?," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 395-395, October.
    13. Jason Fletcher & David Frisvold, 2014. "The long run health returns to college quality," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 12(2), pages 295-325, June.
    14. Eide, Eric R. & Showalter, Mark H., 2011. "Estimating the relation between health and education: What do we know and what do we need to know?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(5), pages 778-791, October.
    15. Carbone, Jared C. & Kverndokk, Snorre, 2014. "Individual investments in education and health," HERO Online Working Paper Series 2014:1, University of Oslo, Health Economics Research Programme.

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