Working Paper: NBER ID: w31162
Authors: Michael W. Walker; Alice H. Huang; Suleiman Asman; Sarah J. Baird; Lia Fernald; Joan Hamory Hicks; Fernando Hoces de la Guardia; Satoshi Koiso; Michael Kremer; Matthew N. Krupoff; Michelle Layvant; Eric Ochieng; Pooja Suri; Edward Miguel
Abstract: We assess the impacts of a randomized school-based deworming intervention in Kenya on the mortality of recipients’ children using a 23-year longitudinal data set of over 6,500 original participants and their offspring. The under-5 mortality rate fell by 22% (17 deaths per 1000 live births) for children of treatment group individuals. We find that a combination of improved health, education and living standards, increased urban residence, delayed fertility, and greater use of health care in the parent generation contributed to the reduction. The results provide evidence for meaningful intergenerational benefits of child health investments.
Keywords: Deworming; Child Mortality; Intergenerational Health; Kenya; Public Health
JEL Codes: H51; I15; I25; I5
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Deworming intervention (C90) | Improved health education (I19) |
| Deworming intervention (C90) | Enhanced living standards (I31) |
| Deworming intervention (C90) | Increased urban residency (R23) |
| Deworming intervention (C90) | Delayed fertility (J13) |
| Deworming intervention (C90) | Greater use of healthcare services (I11) |
| Deworming intervention (C90) | Reduced child mortality (J13) |
| Years of deworming treatment (I00) | Larger reductions in children's mortality rates (J13) |