From Angela's Ashes to the Celtic Tiger: Early Life Conditions and Adult Health in Ireland

Liam Delaney, Mark McGovern, James M. Smith

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25 Citations (Scopus)
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Abstract

We use data from the Irish census and exploit regional and temporal variation in infant mortality rates over the 20th century to examine effects of early life conditions on later life health. The urban mortality penalty collapsed in Ireland in the years right after World War II. Our main identification is public health interventions centered on improved sanitation and food safety, which we believed played a leading role in eliminating the Irish urban infant mortality penalty. Our estimates suggest that a unit decrease in mortality rates at time of birth reduces the probability of being disabled as an adult by about 12–18%
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-10
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Health Economics
Volume30
Issue number1
Early online date10 Oct 2010
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2011

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