The Impact of Poor Health on Education: New Evidence Using Genetic Markers

Weili Ding, Steven Lehrer (), J. Niles Rosenquist and Audrain-McGovern, Janet
Additional contact information
J. Niles Rosenquist: University of Pennsylvania
Audrain-McGovern, Janet: University of Pennsylvania

No 1045, Working Papers from Queen's University, Department of Economics

Abstract: This paper examines the influence of health conditions on academic performance during adolescence. To account for the endogeneity of health outcomes and their interactions with risky behaviors we exploit natural variation within a set of genetic markers across individuals. We present strong evidence that these genetic markers serve as valid instruments with good statistical properties for ADHD, depression and obesity. They help to reveal a new dynamism from poor health to lower academic achievement with substantial heterogeneity in their impacts across genders. Our investigation further exposes the considerable challenges in identifying health impacts due to the prevalence of comorbid health conditions and endogenous health behaviors.

Keywords: health; education; genetic predisposition; obesity; ADHD; depression; instrumental variables; risky health behaviors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I1 I2 C21 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu, nep-hea and nep-ure
Date: Written
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Working Paper: The Impact of Poor Health on Education: New Evidence Using Genetic Markers (2006)
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