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Positive Early Life Rainfall Shocks and Adult Mental Health

Author

Listed:
  • Mochamad Pasha

    (Consultant, World Bank, Indonesia)

  • Marc Rockmore

    (Department of Economics, Clark University, USA)

  • Chih Ming Tan

    (Department of Economics, University of North Dakota, USA; Rimini Centre for Economic Analysis)

Abstract

We study the effect of early life exposure to above average levels of rainfall on adult mental health. While we find no effect from pre-natal exposure, post-natal positive rainfall shocks decrease average Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CESD) mental health scores by 15 percent and increase the likelihood of depression by 5 percent, a more than 20 percent increase relative to the mean. These effects are limited to females. We rule out prenatal stress and income shocks as pathways and find evidence suggestive of increased exposure to disease.

Suggested Citation

  • Mochamad Pasha & Marc Rockmore & Chih Ming Tan, 2019. "Positive Early Life Rainfall Shocks and Adult Mental Health," Working Paper series 19-09, Rimini Centre for Economic Analysis.
  • Handle: RePEc:rim:rimwps:19-09
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. JoAnn Lee & Andrew Crooks, 2021. "Youth and Their Artificial Social Environmental Risk and Promotive Scores (Ya-TASERPS): An Agent-Based Model of Interactional Theory of Delinquency," Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, vol. 24(4), pages 1-2.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    fetal origins; early life shocks; rainfall; mental health; climate change; Indonesia;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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