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The Effect of Health and Poverty on Early Childhood Cognitive Development

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  • David Welsch
  • David Zimmer

Abstract

Although evidence of a link between socioeconomic status and child health has been researched extensively, much less attention has been devoted to studying the link between child health and cognitive development. This paper seeks to determine whether early childhood illnesses and poverty significantly impede cognitive development. The empirical model attempts to control for observed and unobserved heterogeneity through the use of panel data models. Results indicate that a child’s cognitive development is not directly related to health problems acquired after birth or socioeconomic standing. Rather, cognitive development is primarily influenced by unobserved child- and family-specific factors that happen to be correlated with health and socioeconomic status. On the other hand, birth weight appears to affect cognitive performance later in childhood, even after taking unobserved heterogeneity into account. Copyright International Atlantic Economic Society 2010

Suggested Citation

  • David Welsch & David Zimmer, 2010. "The Effect of Health and Poverty on Early Childhood Cognitive Development," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 38(1), pages 37-49, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:atlecj:v:38:y:2010:i:1:p:37-49
    DOI: 10.1007/s11293-009-9198-2
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    National longitudinal survey of youth; Peabody tests; Panel data; Internal instruments; I18; I32; C23;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models

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