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Mothers Care More, but Fathers Decide: Educating Parents about Child Health in Uganda

Author

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  • Martina Björkman Nyqvist
  • Seema Jayachandran

Abstract

Research on intrahousehold decision-making generally finds that fathers have more bargaining power than mothers, but mothers put more weight on children's well-being. This suggests a tradeoff when targeting policies to improve child health: fathers have more power to change household behavior in ways that improve child health, but mothers might have a stronger desire to do so. This paper compares health classes in Uganda that enrolled either mothers or fathers. We find that educating mothers leads to greater adoption of health-promoting behaviors by the household. In addition, educating one parent leads to positive spillovers on the other spouse's health behaviors.

Suggested Citation

  • Martina Björkman Nyqvist & Seema Jayachandran, 2017. "Mothers Care More, but Fathers Decide: Educating Parents about Child Health in Uganda," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(5), pages 496-500, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:107:y:2017:i:5:p:496-500
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/aer.p20171103
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Nyqvist, Martina Björkman & Jayachandran, Seema & Zipfel, Céline, 2024. "A mother’s voice: Impacts of spousal communication training on child health investments," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    2. Naveen Sunder, 2019. "Marriage Age, Social Status, and Intergenerational Effects in Uganda," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 56(6), pages 2123-2146, December.
    3. Isaiah Andrews & Toru Kitagawa & Adam McCloskey, 2024. "Inference on Winners," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 139(1), pages 305-358.
    4. Tran, Nhan, 2024. "Parents' legal status and children's health insurance: Evidence from DACA," MPRA Paper 120173, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Li, Chao & Sun, Daoming, 2023. "Women’s bargaining power and spending on children’s education: Evidence from a natural experiment in China," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    6. Gazeaud, Jules & Khan, Nausheen & Mvukiyehe, Eric & Sterck, Olivier, 2023. "With or without him? Experimental evidence on cash grants and gender-sensitive trainings in Tunisia," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    7. Björkman Nyqvist, Martina & Jayachandran, Seema & Zipfel, Céline, 2023. "A Mother’s Voice: Impacts of Spousal Communication Training on Child Health Investments," CEPR Discussion Papers 17916, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    8. Jonas Tungodden & Alexander Willén, 2023. "When Parents Decide: Gender Differences in Competitiveness," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 131(3), pages 751-801.
    9. Azam, Jean-Paul & Djemaï, Elodie, 2019. "Matching, cooperation and HIV in the couple," TSE Working Papers 19-991, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
    10. Kaat Van Hoyweghen & Janne Bemelmans & Hendrik Feyaerts & Goedele Van den Broeck & Miet Maertens, 2023. "Small Family, Happy Family? Fertility Preferences and the Quantity–Quality Trade-Off in Sub-Saharan Africa," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(6), pages 1-35, December.
    11. Rasmané Ouedraogo & Elodie Marlet, 2018. "Foreign Direct Investment and Women Empowerment: New Evidence on Developing Countries," IMF Working Papers 2018/025, International Monetary Fund.
    12. Lebedinski, Lara & Carneiro, Pedro & Urzua, Tamara Arnold & Perng, Julie & Boudet, Ana Maria Munoz & Sosa, Katia Herrera, 2024. "Experimental Impacts of a Virtual Parenting Program with Mothers and Fathers," IZA Discussion Papers 17028, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Manuchehr Irandoust, 2024. "Does FDI encourage female labor force participation? Evidence from Arab countries," Business Economics, Palgrave Macmillan;National Association for Business Economics, vol. 59(3), pages 174-189, July.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H51 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Health
    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets
    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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