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Refugee camps – a lasting legacy? Evidence on long-term health impact

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  • Olive Nsababera

    (Department of Economics, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK)

Abstract

This paper examines the long-term impact of refugee camps on the health of local residents in Tanzania. Taking height-for-age z-score (HAZ) as a proxy for health, the paper exploits the fact that different birth cohorts were exposed to different stages of the camps’ lifecycle. Temporal variation through birth cohorts is combined with geographic variation in a difference-in-difference estimation approach. First, the paper examines the generation that were children at the opening of the camps and are now adults (as of 2012). It finds a negative and localised health effect that has persisted into adulthood. The result is comparable to a 2.9% to 5.9% reduction in adult hourly earnings. However, those that were exposed for a longer duration were less affected suggesting that subsequent economic development around camps mitigated the initial adverse effect. Second, this paper compares the subsequent generation that was born once the camps were already in operation, and those born after camps closed. It finds no observable difference in the HAZ score between those born during camps operation and in the post-camp period.

Suggested Citation

  • Olive Nsababera, 2019. "Refugee camps – a lasting legacy? Evidence on long-term health impact," Working Paper Series 0919, Department of Economics, University of Sussex Business School.
  • Handle: RePEc:sus:susewp:0919
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    refugees; child health; Tanzania;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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