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The Effects of an Epidemic on Prenatal Investments, Childhood Mortality and Health of Surviving Children

Author

Listed:
  • Patricia I. Ritter

    (University of Connecticut)

  • Ricardo Sanchez

    (Ministry of Education in Peru)

Abstract

The potential death toll from an epidemic is larger than the number of deaths directly associated with the infection. In this study, we find that prenatal exposure to a cholera epidemic in Peru increased childhood mortality and that surviving children were more likely to be under-weight and to suffer from diarrhea. We further find that a significant part of this mortality happened during the first day of life, and that prenatal exposure to cholera decreased prenatal care and institutional deliveries, suggesting that the mortality and possibly other longer-term effects were partially driven by a reduction in prenatal investments.

Suggested Citation

  • Patricia I. Ritter & Ricardo Sanchez, 2019. "The Effects of an Epidemic on Prenatal Investments, Childhood Mortality and Health of Surviving Children," Working papers 2019-15, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics, revised Dec 2021.
    • Handle: RePEc:uct:uconnp:2019-15
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Douglas Almond & Janet Currie & Valentina Duque, 2018. "Childhood Circumstances and Adult Outcomes: Act II," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 56(4), pages 1360-1446, December.
    2. A. Colin Cameron & Jonah B. Gelbach & Douglas L. Miller, 2008. "Bootstrap-Based Improvements for Inference with Clustered Errors," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 90(3), pages 414-427, August.
    3. Michael Kremer, 2007. "What Works in Fighting Diarrheal Diseases in Developing Countries? A Critical Review," NBER Working Papers 12987, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Seema Jayachandran, 2009. "Air Quality and Early-Life Mortality: Evidence from Indonesia’s Wildfires," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 44(4).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    childhood mortality; parental investments; epidemics; in-utero; prenatal care; institutional deliveries; infectious diseases; diarrheal diseases; cholera;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • J10 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - General
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General

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