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Should Early Health Investments Work? Evidence from an RCT of a Home Visiting Programme

Author

Listed:
  • Deirdre Coy

    (Geary Institute for Public Policy, University College Dublin)

  • Orla Doyle

    (Geary Institute for Public Policy, University College Dublin)

Abstract

Evidence for the short-term impact of early intervention on childhood health is weak and inconsistent. Using rigorous methods, careful hypothesis setting, and socioeconomic contextualisation, we examine the impact of an Irish home visiting programme on child health. The treatment provides mentoring visits from pregnancy until school entry to improve child outcomes through positively affecting parenting. In a context where socioeconomic inequalities in health have yet to emerge, modest effects by age four are found, driven by reduced hospital attendance. Conflicting reports in the literature may thus arise from an over-expectation of hypothesized effects and failure to account for social contexts.

Suggested Citation

  • Deirdre Coy & Orla Doyle, 2020. "Should Early Health Investments Work? Evidence from an RCT of a Home Visiting Programme," Working Papers 202006, Geary Institute, University College Dublin.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucd:wpaper:202006
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Home visiting programme; randomised controlled trial; child health; health inequality; human capital formation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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