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Disease Control and Inequality Reduction: Evidence from a Tuberculosis Testing and Vaccination Campaign

Author

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  • Aline Bütikofer

    (Norwegian School of Economics)

  • Kjell Salvanes

    (Norges Handelshøyskole)

Abstract

This paper examines the economic impact of a tuberculosis control program launched in Norway in 1948. In the 1940s, Norway had one of the highest tuberculosis infection rates in Europe, affecting about 85 percent of the inhabitants. To lower the disease burden, the Norwegian government launched a large-scale tuberculosis testing and vaccination campaign that substantially reduced tuberculosis infection rates among children. We find that cohorts in school during and after the campaign in municipalities with high tuberculosis prevalence gained more in terms of education, earnings, longevity, and height following this public health intervention. Furthermore, the gains from the disease control program are not limited to the initially treated cohorts but also affect their children. The results also suggest that individuals from a low socioeconomic background benefited more from the intervention and we present new evidence that a narrowing of the gap in childhood health can lead to a reduction in socioeconomic inequalities in adulthood.

Suggested Citation

  • Aline Bütikofer & Kjell Salvanes, 2018. "Disease Control and Inequality Reduction: Evidence from a Tuberculosis Testing and Vaccination Campaign," Working Papers 2018-048, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    • Handle: RePEc:hka:wpaper:2018-048
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    2. Gabriella Conti, 2013. "The Developmental Origins of Health Inequality," Research on Economic Inequality, in: Health and Inequality, volume 21, pages 285-309, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    3. Gerard J. van den Berg & Stephanie von Hinke & Nicolai Vitt, 2023. "Early life exposure to measles and later-life outcomes: Evidence from the introduction of a vaccine," Papers 2301.10558, arXiv.org.
    4. Barteska, Philipp & Dobkowitz, Sonja & Olkkola, Maarit & Rieser, Michael, 2023. "Mass vaccination and educational attainment: evidence from the 1967–68 Measles Eradication Campaign," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 120706, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. Aline Bütikofer & René Karadakic & Kjell G. Salvanes, 2021. "Income Inequality and Mortality: A Norwegian Perspective," Fiscal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 42(1), pages 193-221, March.
    6. Huang, Wei & Liu, Hong, 2023. "Early childhood exposure to health insurance and adolescent outcomes: Evidence from rural China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    7. Corey White, 2021. "Measuring Social and Externality Benefits of Influenza Vaccination," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 56(3), pages 749-785.
    8. Sarah Cattan & Kjell Salvanes & Emma Tominey, 2022. "First Generation Elite: The Role of School Networks," Working Papers 2022-028, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    9. Philipp Ager & Casper Worm Hansen & Peter Z. Lin, 2023. "Medical Technology and Life Expectancy: Evidence from the Antitoxin Treatment of Diphtheria," Working Papers 0241, European Historical Economics Society (EHES).
    10. Kirsten Rohde & Job van Exel & Merel van Hulsen, 2022. "Weighting the Waiting: Intertemporal Social Preferences," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 22-023/I, Tinbergen Institute.
    11. Zhang, Junsen & Zhou, Kang, 2023. "Quota removal, destination-specific export shocks, and skill acquisition in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    12. Christian Møller Dahl & Casper Worm Hansen & Peter Sandholt Jensen, 2022. "The 1918 epidemic and a V‐shaped recession: evidence from historical tax records," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 124(1), pages 139-163, January.
    13. Krzysztof Karbownik & Anthony Wray, 2019. "Educational, Labor-market and Intergenerational Consequences of Poor Childhood Health," NBER Working Papers 26368, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    14. Volha Lazuka & Peter Sandholt Jensen, 2024. "Multigenerational Effects of Smallpox Vaccination," Working Papers 0251, European Historical Economics Society (EHES).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    tuberculosis; vaccination; health inequality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • H51 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Health
    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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