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The relation between children's health and academic achievement

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  • Eide, Eric R.
  • Showalter, Mark H.
  • Goldhaber, Dan D.

Abstract

We investigate the relation between a variety of health conditions and test scores for children and adolescents using data from the Child Development Supplement of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. In addition to estimating how health conditions are associated with test scores 'on average,' our statistical methodology estimates this association at different points of the conditional test score distribution. Such information could be crucial for policy purposes because the relation between health and academic achievement may be different for students at the bottom and top of the test score distribution. We find that several health conditions are highly negatively correlated with math and reading test scores, both on average and at different points of the achievement distribution. Given the current education policy environment where schools are shifting resources to conform to state and federal requirements on test scores and other outcomes, the results suggest caution in cutting resources from the traditional role of schools in monitoring a wide set of health outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Eide, Eric R. & Showalter, Mark H. & Goldhaber, Dan D., 2010. "The relation between children's health and academic achievement," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 231-238, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:32:y:2010:i:2:p:231-238
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    1. 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.
    2. Pei‐An Liao & Hung‐Hao Chang & Yi‐Ju Su, 2020. "Cash transfer program and child underweight—Empirical evidence from a causal mediation analysis," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 51(2), pages 291-303, March.
    3. Gruber, Lloyd & Kosack, Stephen, 2014. "The tertiary tilt: education and inequality in the developing world," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 54202, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    4. Rees, Daniel I. & Sabia, Joseph J., 2014. "The kid's speech: The effect of stuttering on human capital acquisition," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 76-88.
    5. Gruber, Lloyd & Kosack, Stephen, 2014. "The Tertiary Tilt: Education and Inequality in the Developing World," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 253-272.
    6. Alvaro Cavalcanti & Arthur Teixeira & Karen Pontes, 2019. "Regression Model to Evaluate the Impact of Basic Sanitation Services in Households and Schools on Child Mortality in the Municipalities of the State of Alagoas, Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-19, August.
    7. Emilse Degoy & Silvina Berra, 2021. "Effects of Health on Academic Performance Trajectories in Children: a Two-Year Follow-Up Study in Córdoba-Argentina," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(3), pages 1139-1156, June.
    8. Zavodny, Madeline, 2013. "Does weight affect children's test scores and teacher assessments differently?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 135-145.
    9. Kristen Capogrossi & Wen You, 2013. "Academic Performance and Childhood Misnourishment: A Quantile Approach," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 34(2), pages 141-156, June.
    10. Woong Lee & Ran Im, 2023. "An Empirical Assessment of the Interactionist Model: The Relationship Between Household Income and Depression Among Retirees in Korea," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(2), pages 729-751, April.
    11. Katrina Walsemann & Lisa Lindley & Danielle Gentile & Shehan Welihindha, 2014. "Educational Attainment by Life Course Sexual Attraction: Prevalence and Correlates in a Nationally Representative Sample of Young Adults," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 33(4), pages 579-602, August.
    12. Lu, Yu-Lung & Chou, Stephen Jui-Hsien & Lin, Eric S., 2014. "Gender differences in the impact of weight status on academic performance: Evidence from adolescents in Taiwan," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 300-314.
    13. Lê, Félice & Diez Roux, Ana & Morgenstern, Hal, 2013. "Effects of child and adolescent health on educational progress," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 57-66.
    14. Xiaodong Zheng & Shuangyue Shangguan & Zheng Shen & Hualei Yang, 2023. "Social Pensions and Children’s Educational Outcomes: The Case of New Rural Pension Scheme in China," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 502-521, June.
    15. Han, Yoonsun & Lee, Seonglim, 2016. "Heterogeneous relationships between family private education spending and youth academic performance in Korea," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 136-142.

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