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The Impact of Childhood Health on Adult Labor Market Outcomes

Author

Listed:
  • James Smith

    (RAND Corporation)

Abstract

This paper uses some unique data derived from the Panel Survey of Income Dynamics that has followed groups of siblings and their parents for as long as thirty years. Throughout that period, information on education, income, wealth, and health were collected mostly prospectively on all parties. Most important, following siblings from the same family offers a very unique opportunity to control for unmeasured family and other background effects common to children raised in the same family. Using this data, I present estimates that indicate that health conditions during childhood have quantitatively large impacts on virtually all the key adult indicators of socioeconomic status that are used by economists.

Suggested Citation

  • James Smith, 2005. "The Impact of Childhood Health on Adult Labor Market Outcomes," Labor and Demography 0511001, University Library of Munich, Germany.
  • Handle: RePEc:wpa:wuwpla:0511001
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Douglas Almond & Kenneth Y. Chay & David S. Lee, 2005. "The Costs of Low Birth Weight," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 120(3), pages 1031-1083.
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    4. repec:pri:cheawb:case_paxson_economic_status_paper is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Janet Currie & Mark Stabile, 2003. "Socioeconomic Status and Child Health: Why Is the Relationship Stronger for Older Children?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 93(5), pages 1813-1823, December.
    6. Anne Case & Darren Lubotsky & Christina Paxson, 2002. "Economic Status and Health in Childhood: The Origins of the Gradient," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(5), pages 1308-1334, December.
    7. Arie Kapteyn & James P. Smith & Arthur Van Soest, 2004. "Self-reported Work Disability in the US and The Netherlands," Working Papers WR-206, RAND Corporation.
    8. Currie, Alison & Shields, Michael A. & Wheatley Price, Stephen, 2004. "Is the Child Health / Family Income Gradient Universal? Evidence from England," IZA Discussion Papers 1328, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. repec:pri:cheawb:case_paxson_economic_status_paper.pdf is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Rosemary Hyson & Janet Currie, 1999. "Is the Impact of Health Shocks Cushioned by Socioeconomic Status? The Case of Low Birthweight," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 89(2), pages 245-250, May.
    11. Philip Oreopoulos & Mark Stabile & Randy Walld & Leslie L. Roos, 2008. "Short-, Medium-, and Long-Term Consequences of Poor Infant Health: An Analysis Using Siblings and Twins," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 43(1).
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    13. Case, Anne & Fertig, Angela & Paxson, Christina, 2005. "The lasting impact of childhood health and circumstance," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 365-389, March.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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