Protecting infants from natural disasters: The case of vitamin A supplementation and a tornado in Bangladesh

Snaebjorn Gunnsteinsson, Teresa Molina, Achyuta Adhvaryu, Parul Christian, Alain Labrique, Jonathan Sugimoto, Abu Ahmed Shamim and Keith P. West

Journal of Development Economics, 2022, vol. 158, issue C

Abstract: Environmental disasters have increased in frequency and intensity as a result of climate change. Can timely intervention help protect against the health impacts of these disasters? We study this question by leveraging data from a double-blind cluster-randomized controlled trial of at-birth vitamin A supplementation, which boosts immune system functioning, in Bangladesh. During the trial, a large tornado swept through the study area, affecting both treatment and control clusters. Tornado exposure in infancy decreased physical growth and increased the incidence of severe fevers. But infants who received supplementation were protected from these negative effects.

Keywords: Natural disasters; Early childhood; Climate change; Micronutrient supplementation; Vitamin A; Bangladesh (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I18 J13 Q54 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:deveco:v:158:y:2022:i:c:s0304387822000724

DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2022.102914

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