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Desert locust swarms and child health

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  • Le, Kien
  • Nguyen, My

Abstract

This study evaluates how in-utero exposure to an insect pest invasion, particularly, the outbreak of desert locust swarms, affects early childhood health in Africa and Asia over the past three decades (1990–2018). Employing the difference-in-differences model, we find that children being prenatally exposed to the outbreak have their height-for-age, weight-for-height, and weight-for-age z-scores lower by 0.159, 0.148, and 0.155 standard deviations, respectively, compared to unexposed children. Our heterogeneity analyses show that the health setbacks disproportionately fall on children of disadvantaged backgrounds, i.e., those born to lower-educated mothers, poorer mothers, and rural mothers. To the extent that poor health in early life exerts long-lasting irreversible consequences over the life cycle, the study calls for effective measures to minimize the pernicious effects of the desert locust swarm outbreak.

Suggested Citation

  • Le, Kien & Nguyen, My, 2022. "Desert locust swarms and child health," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 44(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ehbiol:v:44:y:2022:i:c:s1570677x21001192
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2021.101094
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    9. Le, Kien & Nguyen, My, 2020. "Shedding light on maternal education and child health in developing countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    10. Randell, Heather & Gray, Clark & Grace, Kathryn, 2020. "Stunted from the start: Early life weather conditions and child undernutrition in Ethiopia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 261(C).
    11. Le, Kien & Nguyen, My, 2022. "Son Preference and Health Disparities in Developing Countries," MPRA Paper 112348, University Library of Munich, Germany.
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    13. Gary Solon & Steven J. Haider & Jeffrey M. Wooldridge, 2015. "What Are We Weighting For?," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 50(2), pages 301-316.
    14. Le, Kien & Nguyen, My, 2021. "In-utero Exposure to Rainfall Variability and Early Childhood Health," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    15. Le, Kien & Nguyen, My, 2020. "Armed conflict and birth weight," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    16. Tranchant, Jean-Pierre & Justino, Patricia & Müller, Cathérine, 2020. "Political violence, adverse shocks and child malnutrition: Empirical evidence from Andhra Pradesh, India," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
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    19. Nguyen, My & Le, Kien, 2022. "Maternal education and son preference," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
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    1. Conte, Bruno & Piemontese, Lavinia & Tapsoba, Augustin, 2023. "The power of markets: Impact of desert locust invasions on child health," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    2. Le, Kien & Nguyen, My, 2022. "Rainfall and Birth Outcome: Evidence from Kyrgyzstan," MPRA Paper 112539, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Guimbeau, Amanda & Ji, Xinde James & Long, Zi & Menon, Nidhiya, 2024. "Ocean salinity, early-life health, and adaptation," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    4. Hamid Noghanibehambari & Jason Fletcher, 2022. "Dust to Feed, Dust to Grey: The Effect of In-Utero Exposure to the Dust Bowl on Old-Age Longevity," NBER Working Papers 30531, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Kien Le, 2022. "Pre-Recorded Lectures, Live Online Lectures, and Student Academic Achievement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-10, March.
    6. Yashodhan Ghorpade, 2024. "Plague, war, and exodus? The effects of desert locust swarms on migration intentions in Yemen," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2024-51, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Desert locust; Child health; Developing countries;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I1 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health

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