Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP17386
Authors: Amit Summan; Arindam Nandi; David Bloom
Abstract: Routine childhood vaccinations are among the most cost-effective interventions. In recent years, the broader benefits of vaccines, which include improved cognitive and schooling outcomes, have also been established. This paper evaluates the long-term economic benefits of India’s national program of childhood vaccinations, known as the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP). We combine individual-level data from the 68th round of the National Sample Survey of India (2011–2012) with district-wise data on the rollout of UIP in 1985–1990. We employ age-district fixed effects regression models to compare the earnings and per capita household consumer spending of 21- to 26-year-old adults who were born in UIP-covered districts vis-à-vis non-UIP districts in 1985–1990. We find that exposure to UIP in infancy increases weekly wages by 13.8% (95% CI: 7.6% to 20.3%, p
Keywords: India; Child Immunization; Health; Wages
JEL Codes: I15; I18; J31; J38
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| UIP exposure in infancy (I12) | weekly wages (J31) |
| UIP exposure in infancy (I12) | monthly per capita household consumption expenditure (D12) |
| UIP exposure in infancy (I12) | likelihood of households primarily supported by agriculture (Q12) |
| UIP exposure (J65) | economic outcomes (F61) |