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Mothers' and Fathers' Labor Supply in Fragile Families: The Role of Child Health

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  • Hope Corman
  • Nancy E. Reichman
  • Kelly Noonan

Abstract

We estimate the effect of poor child health on the labor supply of mothers and fathers post welfare reform, using a national sample of mostly unwed parents and their children-a group at high risk of living in poverty. We account for the potential endogeneity of child health and find that having a young child in poor health reduces the mother's probability of working, the mother's hours of work, and the father's hours of work. These results suggest that children's health problems may diminish their parents' capacity to invest in their health.

Suggested Citation

  • Hope Corman & Nancy E. Reichman & Kelly Noonan, 2003. "Mothers' and Fathers' Labor Supply in Fragile Families: The Role of Child Health," NBER Working Papers 9918, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:9918
    Note: EH LS CH
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    1. Deborah Roempke Graefe & Daniel Lichter, 1999. "Life course transitions of American children: Parental cohabitation, marriage, and single motherhood," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 36(2), pages 205-217, May.
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    5. Fox Folk & K., "undated". "Single mothers in various living arrangements: Differences in economic and time resources," Institute for Research on Poverty Discussion Papers 1075-95, University of Wisconsin Institute for Research on Poverty.
    6. Elizabeth T. Powers, 2001. "New Estimates of the Impact of Child Disability on Maternal Employment," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(2), pages 135-139, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. William Baah-Boateng & Kingsley Laar & Edward Nketiah-Amponsah, 2021. "Child health and maternal labour market engagement in Ghana," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 23(2), pages 283-301, December.
    2. Ruhm, Christopher J., 2008. "Maternal employment and adolescent development," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(5), pages 958-983, October.
    3. Meng-Wen Tsou & Jin-Tan Liu & Kuang-Hsien Wang, 2014. "Impact of Low Birth Weight Child on Maternal Labour Force Participation: Evidence from Taiwan," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(4), pages 483-501, October.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior

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