Heterogeneity, Intrafamily Distribution and Child Health

Preprint
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
    • preprint
      • Published in RePEc
Abstract
This paper outlines a simple dynamic model of child health incorporating uncertainty to demonstrate the complexity of household decision rules concerning the allocation of resources to and across children when there is variation in child traits within the family and in healthiness across families. Empirical results informed by the model indicate that parental behavior responds to unanticipated health outcomes among children and is also significantly associated with more persistent health factors that vary across families. As a consequence, estimates of child health effects of parental decisions, or the fertility effects of child mortality that ignore the behavioral consequences of interfamily and intrafamily heterogeneity are biased. (This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)
All Related Versions

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: