Booms, busts, and babies' health

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Dehejia, R; Lleras-Muney, A
• 署名单位: Columbia University; National Bureau of Economic Research; Princeton University
• 刊物名称: QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0033-5533
• DOI: 10.1162/0033553041502216
• 发表日期: 2004
• 页码: 1091-1130
• 关键词: birth-rates; fertility; Abortion; IMPACT

摘要

We study the relationship between the unemployment rate at the time of a baby's conception and parental characteristics, parental behaviors, and babies' health. Babies conceived in times of high unemployment have a reduced incidence of low and very low birth weight, fewer congenital malformations, and lower postneonatal mortality. These health improvements are attributable both to selection ( changes in the type of mothers who conceive during recessions) and to improvements in health behavior during recessions. Black mothers tend to be higher socioeconomic status ( as measured by education and marital status) in times of high unemployment, whereas White mothers are less educated.