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Communication Barriers and Infant Health: The Intergenerational Effect of Randomly Allocating Refugees across Language Regions

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  • Daniel Auer
  • Johannes S. Kunz

Abstract

This paper investigates the intergenerational effect of communication barriers on child health at birth. We study refugees in Switzerland who come from French- or Italian-speaking countries and who, upon arrival, are randomly allocated to different cantons in which either German, French, or Italian is the dominant language. Children born to mothers who were exogenously allocated to a region whose dominant language matches their origin language are, on average, 72 grams (or 2.2 percent) heavier. Further analyses suggest that this effect is likely driven by information about health-related behavior and services. Coethnic networks, however, can partly compensate for communication barriers.

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  • Daniel Auer & Johannes S. Kunz, 2025. "Communication Barriers and Infant Health: The Intergenerational Effect of Randomly Allocating Refugees across Language Regions," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 17(3), pages 71-106, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejpol:v:17:y:2025:i:3:p:71-106
    DOI: 10.1257/pol.20230220
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    2. Zenou, Yves & Biavaschi, Costanza & Giulietti, Corrado, 2021. "Social Networks and (Political) Assimilation in the Age of Mass Migration," CEPR Discussion Papers 16182, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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