The reach of violence: Infant health among diasporas in the United States during the onset of the 2023 Gaza War

A large body of research documents the harm that armed conflict inflicts on the health of populations in conflict zones. Yet if violence injures collectivities rather than only those who experience it directly, its health consequences should extend to those who identify with affected populations wherever they reside. We test this hypothesis by examining the effects of the October 7, 2023, attacks in Israel and the ensuing onset of the Gaza War on infant health in the United States among mothers born in Israel, the West Bank, and neighboring, Arab, and Muslim-majority countries. In a novel application of the event-study design, we trace month-by-month changes in preterm birth and low birthweight – outcomes that shape health and socioeconomic attainment throughout the life course. Our analyses show that the Israel-born diaspora experienced an immediate, short-lived reversal in their previously substantial infant health advantage after the October 7 attacks. Infant health also deteriorated among mothers born in neighboring, other Arab, and other Muslim-majority countries. These findings indicate that the health consequences of violence are not confined to the conflict zone but extend to geographically distant diaspora communities who are connected to the affected populations by shared national and ethnic origin and religion.