Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP17257
Authors: Sonia Bhalotra; Martin Karlsson; Therese Nilsson; Nina Schwarz
Abstract: We identify earnings impacts of exposure to an infant health intervention in Sweden,using individual linked administrative data to trace potential mechanisms. Leveraging quasi-randomvariation in eligibility, we estimate that exposure was associated with higher test scoresin primary school for boys and girls. However only girls were more likely to score in the topquintile. Subsequent gains, in secondary schooling, employment, and earnings, are restricted togirls. We show that the differential gains for women accrued from both skills and opportunities.
Keywords: infant health; early life interventions; cognitive skills; education; earnings; occupational choice; programme evaluation; sweden; gender
JEL Codes: I15; I18; H41
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Exposure to the intervention (C90) | Improved primary school test scores (A21) |
| Improved primary school test scores (A21) | Enhanced educational opportunities (I29) |
| Enhanced educational opportunities (I29) | Gains in secondary schooling, employment, and earnings (I21) |
| Exposure to the intervention (C90) | Differential impact based on gender (J16) |
| A year of exposure to the intervention (C90) | 73% increase in average earnings (J31) |
| A year of exposure to the intervention (C90) | 195% increase in earnings for women (J16) |
| A year of exposure to the intervention (C90) | No significant gains for men (J79) |