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Can pandemics affect educational attainment? Evidence from the polio epidemic of 1916

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  • Keith Meyers

    (University of Southern Denmark)

  • Melissa A. Thomasson

    (Miami University and Research Associate)

Abstract

We leverage the largest polio outbreak in US history, the 1916 polio epidemic, to study how epidemic-related school interruptions affect educational attainment. Using polio morbidity as a proxy for epidemic exposure, we find that children aged 10 and under, and school-aged children of legal working age with greater exposure to the epidemic experienced reduced educational attainment compared to their slightly older peers. These reductions in observed educational attainment persist even after accounting for the influenza epidemic of 1918.

Suggested Citation

  • Keith Meyers & Melissa A. Thomasson, 2021. "Can pandemics affect educational attainment? Evidence from the polio epidemic of 1916," Cliometrica, Springer;Cliometric Society (Association Francaise de Cliométrie), vol. 15(2), pages 231-265, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:cliomt:v:15:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1007_s11698-020-00212-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s11698-020-00212-3
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    Cited by:

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    2. Beniamino Callegari & Christophe Feder, 2022. "A Literature Review of Pandemics and Development: the Long-Term Perspective," Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 183-212, March.
    3. 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.
    4. Beniamino Callegari & Christophe Feder, 2022. "The long-term economic effects of pandemics: toward an evolutionary approach [Epidemics and trust: the case of the Spanish flu]," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 31(3), pages 715-735.
    5. Cygan-Rehm, Kamila, 2023. "Lifetime consequences of lost instructional time in the classroom: Evidence from shortened school years," VfS Annual Conference 2023 (Regensburg): Growth and the "sociale Frage" 277608, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    6. Shinsuke Asakawa & Fumio Ohtake, 2021. "Impact of Temporary School Closure Due to COVID-19 on the Academic Achievement of Elementary School Students," Discussion Papers in Economics and Business 21-14, Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics.
    7. Kamila Cygan-Rehm, 2022. "Lifetime Consequences of Lost Instructional Time in the Classroom: Evidence from Shortened School Years," CESifo Working Paper Series 9892, CESifo.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Epidemics; Polio; Schooling disruption; Educational attainment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • I26 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Returns to Education
    • N22 - Economic History - - Financial Markets and Institutions - - - U.S.; Canada: 1913-
    • N3 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy

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