Cyclical unemployment and infant health

Erin Kaplan, Courtney A. Collins and Frances A. Tylavsky

Economics & Human Biology, 2017, vol. 27, issue PA, 281-288

Abstract: This study provides evidence on the effect of cyclical unemployment on infant health. We match individual-level data from a detailed survey of mothers and their children in Memphis, TN, with 5-year average census-tract unemployment rates from the American Community Survey. Our findings indicate that a one percentage point increase in the local unemployment rate is associated with a statistically significant increase in the probability of having a low birthweight baby (a baby weighing less than 2500 grams). We also find evidence of a statistically significant decrease in gestational age. These effects are concentrated among infants born to mothers without a college education and into households earning less than $25,000 a year.

Keywords: Unemployment; Recession; Infant Health; Birthweight (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I10 J01 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ehbiol:v:27:y:2017:i:pa:p:281-288

DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2017.08.001

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