Lasting Impact on Health from Natural Disasters, Potential Mechanisms and Mitigating Effects

Gaurav Dhamija () and Gitanjali Sen
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Gaurav Dhamija: Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad

No 2022-03, Working Papers from Shiv Nadar University, Department of Economics

Abstract: Exposure to extreme shocks in early life is found to have lasting impact in adulthood. Exploiting the variation in exposure measured by age and intensity of earthquake, we evaluate the impact of a 7.7 MW earthquake in Gujarat, India, on the health stock of children who were in utero or below three years. Using the India Human Development Survey (IHDS-1) data (2004-05) and earthquake intensity data, we find, an affected girl child to be shorter by at least 2.5 cm at the age of 3-6 years. The earthquake seems to have destroyed the household infrastructures and health facilities, affecting the expecting mothers and newborn children. The households using services to meet nutritional needs of children and pregnant women seem to be least affected. Our findings recommend faster reconstruction activities and highlight the importance of universal healthcare and nutritional delivery services to mitigate the impacts of early-life shocks.

Keywords: Earthquake; child health; height; ZHFA; Shock; India. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I1 I3 J1 O2 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 76 pages
Date: 2022-03-28
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev, nep-env and nep-hea
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