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Infant mortality and adult wellbeing: Evidence from wartime Britain

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  • Schiman, Jeffrey C.
  • Kaestner, Robert
  • Lo Sasso, Anthony T.

Abstract

A growing literature argues that early environments affecting childhood health may influence significantly later-life health and socioeconomic status. In this article, we present new evidence on the relationship between infant mortality and later-life outcomes using variation in infant mortality in England and Wales at the onset of World War II. We exploit the variation in infant mortality across birth cohorts and regions to estimate associations between infant mortality and adult outcomes, such as health, disability, and employment. Our findings suggest that exposure to a higher infant mortality environment is significantly associated with higher likelihood of reporting poor health, a higher likelihood of reporting a disability, a lower probability of employment, and a higher probability of reporting no earned income. We also find that the effects of the infant health environment do not become manifest until after age 55.

Suggested Citation

  • Schiman, Jeffrey C. & Kaestner, Robert & Lo Sasso, Anthony T., 2019. "Infant mortality and adult wellbeing: Evidence from wartime Britain," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 12-29.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:labeco:v:60:y:2019:i:c:p:12-29
    DOI: 10.1016/j.labeco.2019.05.001
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    Cited by:

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    2. Allais, Olivier & Fagherazzi, Guy & Mink, Julia, 2021. "The long-run effects of war on health: Evidence from World War II in France," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).
    3. Olivier Allais & Guy Fagherazzi & Julia Mink, 2021. "The long-run effects of war on health: Evidence from World War II in France," SciencePo Working papers Main hal-03275491, HAL.
    4. Julia Mink, 2021. "The effects of major life events and exposure to adverse environmental conditions on health and health-related outcomes [Les effets d'événements majeurs de la vie et de l'exposition à des condition," SciencePo Working papers Main tel-03575191, HAL.
    5. Mihaela Onofrei & Anca-Florentina Vatamanu & Georgeta Vintilă & Elena Cigu, 2021. "Government Health Expenditure and Public Health Outcomes: A Comparative Study among EU Developing Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-13, October.

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    Early-life health; Adult wellbeing;

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