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Child Health and School Enrollment: A Replication

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  • Sudhanshu Handa
  • Amber Peterman

Abstract

This study uses longitudinal data from South Africa to estimate the relationship between early childhood nutritional status and schooling outcomes five years later. Preferred estimates from the full sample aged zero to five, which treat prior nutritional status as endogenous, show no impact of past nutritional status on current schooling, in contrast to a recent article in this journal using data from Pakistan. However, we find significant estimates for children who were malnourished, as well as among children younger than three years of age in the base year. These results suggest that the relationship between health and cognitive achievement is complex, and the effects may be sensitive to time between measurements and the timing of malnutrition itself.

Suggested Citation

  • Sudhanshu Handa & Amber Peterman, 2007. "Child Health and School Enrollment: A Replication," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 42(4).
    • Handle: RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:42:y:2007:i4:p863-880
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Duncan Thomas & John Strauss & Maria-Helena Henriques, 1991. "How Does Mother's Education Affect Child Height?," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 26(2), pages 183-211.
    2. Glewwe, Paul & Jacoby, Hanan G. & King, Elizabeth M., 2001. "Early childhood nutrition and academic achievement: a longitudinal analysis," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(3), pages 345-368, September.
    3. Rivers, Douglas & Vuong, Quang H., 1988. "Limited information estimators and exogeneity tests for simultaneous probit models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 347-366, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kim, Seonghoon & Deng, Quheng & Fleisher, Belton M. & Li, Shi, 2014. "The Lasting Impact of Parental Early Life Malnutrition on Their Offspring: Evidence from the China Great Leap Forward Famine," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 232-242.
    2. Joseph, George & Hoo, Yi Rong & Moqueet, Nazia Sultana & Chellaraj, Gnanaraj, 2023. "Early-life exposure to unimproved sanitation and delayed school enrollment: Evidence from Bangladesh," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 32(C).
    3. Christensen, Zachary & Homer, Dustin & Nielson, Daniel L., 2011. "Dodging Adverse Selection: How Donor Type and Governance Condition Aid’s Effects on School Enrollment," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(11), pages 2044-2053.
    4. Borrescio-Higa, Florencia & Bozzoli, Carlos Guillermo & Droller, Federico, 2025. "Early-life nutrition and schooling," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 371(C).
    5. Dimico, Arcangelo, 2014. "Poverty trap and educational shock: Evidence from missionary fields," QUCEH Working Paper Series 14-07, Queen's University Belfast, Queen's University Centre for Economic History.
    6. Changhui Kang & Myoung-jae Lee, 2014. "Estimation of Binary Response Models With Endogenous Regressors," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(4), pages 502-530, October.
    7. Fafa Rebouha & Pascal Pochet, 2011. "Pauvreté et accès à l'éducation dans les périphéries d'Oran," Post-Print halshs-00666342, HAL.
    8. Sudhanshu Handa & Amber Peterman, 2016. "Is There Catch-Up Growth? Evidence from Three Continents," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 78(4), pages 470-500, August.
    9. Buck,Lindsey & Fiala,Nathan V. & Prakash,Nishith & Sabarwal,Shwetlena & Saraswat,Deepak & Shrestha,Deepika, 2020. "Educator Knowledge of Early Childhood Development : Evidence from Eastern Nepal," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9381, The World Bank.

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