Saving Babies: The Impact of Public Education Programs on Infant Mortality

Carolyn Moehling () and Melissa Thomasson ()

Demography, 2014, vol. 51, issue 2, 367-386

Abstract: We take advantage of unique data on specific activities conducted under the Sheppard-Towner Act from 1924 through 1929 to focus on how public health interventions affected infant mortality. Interventions that provided one-on-one contact and opportunities for follow-up care, such as home visits by nurses and the establishment of health clinics, reduced infant deaths more than did classes and conferences. These interventions were particularly effective for nonwhites, a population with limited access to physicians and medical care. Although limited data on costs prevent us from making systematic cost-benefit calculations, we estimate that one infant death could be avoided for every $1,600 (about $20,400 in 2010 dollars) spent on home nurse visits. Copyright Population Association of America 2014

Keywords: Infant mortality; Public health; Sheppard-Towner; U.S. Children’s Bureau (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1007/s13524-013-0274-5

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