The Permanent Effects of Recessions on Child Health: Evidence from Peru

Jorge M. Agüero and Martín Valdivia
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Jorge M. Agüero: University of California, Riverside and SALDRU
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Jorge M. Agüero

Estudios Económicos, 2010, vol. 25, issue 1, 247-274

Abstract: We explore the permanent effects that recessions have on health-related outcomes of mothers and children in Peru. To account for possible self-selection in giving birth during recessions, we compare the infant mortality rates of siblings born in different phases of the economic cycle. A 1 percent decline in GDP per capita is associated with an increase in infant mortality rates between 0.30 and 0.39 percent. We find evidence that recessions also have a negative effect on long-term health measures for surviving children. The additional negative effect found on prenatal care suggests that the permanent effects start while children are in-utero.

Keywords: economic crises; early childhood development; health; Peru (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 J13 J18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:emx:esteco:v:25:y:2010:i:1:p:247-274

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