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Early Life Health Conditions and Racial Gaps in Education

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  • Briana Ballis

    (University of California, Merced)

Abstract

Racial disparities in infant health conditions have persisted for decades. However, there is surprisingly limited evidence regarding the long-term consequences of these disparities. Using novel linked administrative data from Texas and the shift to Medicaid Managed Care (MMC), I show that MMC-driven declines in infant health worsened cognitive and noncognitive outcomes for Black children, while MMC-driven enhancements in infant health improved noncognitive outcomes and educational attainment for Hispanics. Effects concentrate in low-value added districts for either demographic, suggesting that the long run impacts of changes to early life health conditions are more pronounced in less effective schools for one’s demographic.

Suggested Citation

  • Briana Ballis, 2024. "Early Life Health Conditions and Racial Gaps in Education," Working Papers 2024-016, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    • Handle: RePEc:hka:wpaper:2024-016
    Note: MIP
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    File URL: http://humcap.uchicago.edu/RePEc/hka/wpaper/Ballis_2024_early-life-health-conditions-racial-gaps.pdf
    File Function: First version, August 13, 2024
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    racial disparities; infant health; Medicaid; Medicaid Managed Care; MMC; early life health;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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