Working Paper: NBER ID: w26368
Authors: Krzysztof Karbownik; Anthony Wray
Abstract: Does childhood health capital affect long-run labor market success? We address this question using inpatient hospital admission records linked to population census records. Sibling fixed effects estimates indicate that in comparison to their brothers, boys with health deficiencies were more likely to experience downward occupational mobility relative to their father’s occupational rank. This decline in occupational success across generations can be decomposed into a lower likelihood of attaining white collar status and a higher likelihood of working in unskilled jobs, which translated into lower occupational wages on average. Evidence indicates that a lower school attendance rate and higher rates of disability in both childhood and adulthood are plausible mechanisms for our findings.
Keywords: Childhood health; Labor market outcomes; Intergenerational mobility
JEL Codes: I14; J62; N33
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Childhood health deficiencies (I12) | Downward occupational mobility (J62) |
| Childhood health deficiencies (I12) | Upward occupational mobility (J62) |
| Childhood health deficiencies (I12) | White-collar employment (J29) |
| White-collar employment (J29) | Advantage from father in white-collar occupation (J79) |
| Childhood health deficiencies (I12) | Unskilled employment (F66) |
| Childhood health deficiencies (I12) | Occupational wages (J31) |
| Childhood health deficiencies (I12) | School attendance (I21) |
| Childhood health deficiencies (I12) | Reporting a disability (J14) |
| Childhood health deficiencies (I12) | Long-run social outcomes (P27) |