Smartphones and child injuries

Craig Palsson

Journal of Public Economics, 2017, vol. 156, issue C, 200-213

Abstract: From 2005 to 2012, injuries to children under five increased by 10%, possibly because smartphones distract caregivers from supervising children. I exploit the expansion of AT&T's 3G network in both a difference-in-differences and a triple difference framework and find that hospitals experienced a 5% increase in emergency department visits for children ages 0–5, but none for children ages 6–10, after getting 3G. Age-specific injury patterns on playgrounds, from poisoning, and in sports further support the conclusion that smartphones distract caregivers.

Keywords: Smartphones; Child injuries; Distractions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 J13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:pubeco:v:156:y:2017:i:c:p:200-213

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2017.10.008

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