Working Paper: NBER ID: w23714
Authors: Sara Markowitz; Kelli A. Komro; Melvin D. Livingston; Otto Lenhart; Alexander C. Wagenaar
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of state-level Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) laws in the U.S. on maternal health behaviors and infant health outcomes. Using multi-state, multi-year difference-in-differences analyses, we estimated effects of state EITC generosity on maternal health behaviors, birth weight and gestation weeks. We find little difference in maternal health behaviors associated with state-level EITC. In contrast, results for key infant health outcomes of birth weight and gestation weeks show small improvements in states with EITCs, with larger effects seen among states with more generous EITCs. Our results provide evidence for important health benefits of state-level EITC policies.
Keywords: earned income tax credit; maternal health; infant health; public policy
JEL Codes: H0; I0
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| state EITC generosity (H73) | improvements in infant health outcomes (I14) |
| state EITC generosity (H73) | increased birth weight (J13) |
| state EITC generosity (H73) | longer gestation weeks (J19) |
| state EITC generosity (H73) | reductions in probability of low birth weight (J19) |
| state EITC generosity (H73) | limited changes in maternal health behaviors (I12) |