Water Scarcity and Birth Outcomes in the Brazilian Semiarid

Rudi Rocha and Rodrigo Soares

No 6773, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This paper analyzes the impact of rainfall fluctuations during the gestational period on health at birth. We concentrate on the semiarid region of Northeastern Brazil to highlight the role of water scarcity as a determinant of early life health. We find that negative rainfall shocks are robustly correlated with higher infant mortality, lower birth weight, and shorter gestation periods. Mortality effects are concentrated on intestinal infections and malnutrition, and are greatly minimized when the local public health infrastructure is sufficiently developed (municipality coverage of piped water and sanitation). We also find that effects are stronger during the fetal period (2nd trimester of gestation), for children born during the dry season, and for mortality in the first 6 months of life. The results seem to be driven by water scarcity per se, and not by reduced agricultural production. Our estimates suggest that expansions in public health infrastructure would be a cost-effective way of reducing the response of infant mortality to rainfall shocks in the Brazilian semiarid.

Keywords: semiarid; rainfall; health; birth; infant mortality; water; sanitation; Brazil (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H51 I15 I18 Q54 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 51 pages
Date: 2012-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr, nep-dem and nep-lam
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

Published - published in: Journal of Development Economics, 2015, 112, 72–91

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Related works:
Journal Article: Water scarcity and birth outcomes in the Brazilian semiarid (2015)
Working Paper: Water Scarcity and Birth Outcomes in the Brazilian Semiarid (2012)
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