Economics And Human Biology[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
State-led regional development strategy and multidimensional health poverty of the residents: Evidence from the China's great western development program.
Wu Y, Zhang X
Econ Hum Biol · 2025 May · PMID 40367751 · Publisher ↗
This study systematically examines the impact of China's Great Western Development (GWD) program on residential multidimensional health poverty from an institutional beneficiary perspective. Using macro and micro data, w...
This study systematically examines the impact of China's Great Western Development (GWD) program on residential multidimensional health poverty from an institutional beneficiary perspective. Using macro and micro data, we employ a spatial regression discontinuity (SRD) approach to identify causal effects. The results indicate that the GWD program reduces both health poverty incidence and intensity, with findings remaining robust across multiple tests. However, the program shows no significant effects on rural residents, the elderly, residents of small- and medium-sized districts, or those in non-priority districts, likely due to size, urban, political, and efficiency biases. Mechanism analysis suggests that education, social security, healthcare, employment, transportation, energy and environmental management, and economics (at the macro level) drive the program's impact on health poverty. Finally, we identify higher education and physician supply as areas for further improvement. Given these findings, we recommend continued promotion of the GWD program to address its limitations and advance the goal of common prosperity.
Equity in use and financing of assisted reproductive technologies: Does income matter?
Dhingra A, Gannon B, Connelly L … +1 more , Mishra G
Econ Hum Biol · 2025 May · PMID 40334337 · Publisher ↗
This study estimates inequity for a relatively low frequency-of-use and expensive health service, Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) in Australia, that nevertheless has health and well-being related consequences. Alt...
This study estimates inequity for a relatively low frequency-of-use and expensive health service, Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) in Australia, that nevertheless has health and well-being related consequences. Although the universal healthcare system provides rebates, a policy to put a monetary cap was introduced in 2010, thereby increasing the co-payments for consumers. These government co-financing decisions include a trade-off between subsidising ART for the wealthy and prioritising insurance for low-income households. Such decisions require careful consideration since they may have profound equity implications. This study produces empirical evidence on inequity in the use and financing of ARTs, using linked administrative data from the years before the policy change, 2006, 2009 and after the policy change, 2012. The results indicate that there is pro-rich inequity in the use of ARTs, which decreases post-policy change and the financing of ART is regressive for the year 2009 pre-policy change and is less regressive after the policy change.
Are preadolescent and adolescent physical growth failures related to poorer adolescent cognitive and socioemotional skills in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam?
Duc LT, Behrman JR
Econ Hum Biol · 2025 May · PMID 40327986 · Publisher ↗
This study uses longitudinal data from Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam to assess the associations between adolescent skills and their physical growth in life-cycle periods that are overlapping or following puberty gro...
This study uses longitudinal data from Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam to assess the associations between adolescent skills and their physical growth in life-cycle periods that are overlapping or following puberty growth spurts. In place of total growth over a life-cycle period, our analysis uses conditional growth, which is the part of height change that is uncorrelated with height at the start of the period. The adolescents' cognitive achievements are based on their test results in math, receptive vocabulary, and reading comprehension, and their socioemotional skills are based on their self-efficacy, self-esteem, and peer relations. The main findings include: (1) adolescent cognitive achievements are associated with preadolescence and early adolescence growth; (2) the association between cognitive skills and physical growth continues into late adolescence for boys in poor regions; (3) significant associations are found between adolescents' socioemotional skills and their growth in preadolescence, adolescence or both; and (4) across adolescent groups by sex and poor versus nonpoor regions, growth between ages 12 and 15 is associated with their socioemotional skills. The findings of this study provide additional insights to support age-specific investments in the health and nutrition of preadolescents and adolescents.
Obesity And Cash Rewards.
Augurzky B, Bauer TK, Reichert AR … +2 more , Schmidt CM, Tauchmann H
Econ Hum Biol · 2025 May · PMID 40319728 · Publisher ↗
In a multi-phase randomized controlled trial, we examine the impacts of cash rewards of EUR 150 and EUR 300 for reducing body weight on the likelihood of weight loss and weight-related behavioral change among 700 obese i...
In a multi-phase randomized controlled trial, we examine the impacts of cash rewards of EUR 150 and EUR 300 for reducing body weight on the likelihood of weight loss and weight-related behavioral change among 700 obese individuals. We find effects during all experimental phases, including 18 months after exposure to the incentives. Additional monetary rewards of EUR 250 and EUR 500 provided to participants who had lost a substantial amount of body weight exerted only short-term effects.
Internet use and physical and mental health in old age during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from partners in SHARE.
Niccodemi G, Gaia A, Novello M … +1 more , Consolazio D
Econ Hum Biol · 2025 May · PMID 40262395 · Publisher ↗
Using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), we investigate whether individuals aged 65 and older who were internet users prior to the COVID-19 pandemic experienced better physical and m...
Using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), we investigate whether individuals aged 65 and older who were internet users prior to the COVID-19 pandemic experienced better physical and mental health, during the pandemic, than age peers who did not use the internet. We consider three health outcomes: self-reported health, overweight/obesity and depression. To account for household-shared determinants of health and reverse causality, we estimate household fixed effects regressions on samples of individuals grouped into households of cohabiting partners who exhibited identical pre-pandemic health outcomes. On average, our estimates point towards a non-significant effect of internet use on all health outcomes. The probability of depression varied by age: pre-pandemic internet users in the age-range 65-70 were more likely to experience depression, whereas those aged over 80 were less likely to be depressed, compared to internet nonusers in the same age-range. Moreover, we find that, among older pre-pandemic internet nonusers, those with stronger social ties had better access to remote medical consultations during the pandemic; this result suggests that social capital may play a protective role and may contribute to bridging the digital divide. We conclude that, although internet use holds significant potential benefits for older adults, its impact, particularly on mental health, is complex and multifaceted. Future interventions should be tailored to address these nuances, promoting beneficial uses of digital technology while mitigating its adverse effects.
The effect of New York State's Paid Family and Medical Leave Program on birth outcomes.
Engel K, Morrissey TW
Econ Hum Biol · 2025 May · PMID 40253940 · Publisher ↗
Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) programs provide material resources and time away from the labor force around the time of a child's birth. Past research indicates that the programs improve maternal and child health...
Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) programs provide material resources and time away from the labor force around the time of a child's birth. Past research indicates that the programs improve maternal and child health and may increase fertility. To date, 13 states and the District of Columbia have passed PFML laws, with varying lengths of leave, eligibility, job protections, and benefit levels. Programs in states other than California remain understudied. We examined the effects of New York State's (NYS) PFML program on birth outcomes using difference-in-differences (DiD) models with data from the Centers for Disease and Prevention National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) on the universe of U.S. births from 2013 to 2019. We compared trends in multiple measures of birthweight and gestational age at birth between NYS and states lacking PFML benefits during this time period, exploring mechanisms and how markers of disadvantage moderate effects. Results indicate that NYS's PFML program led to small decreases in gestational age and birthweight. We also find evidence that the program increased fertility, partially via reductions in fetal deaths. Findings suggest that PFML may increase live births, with these additional infants driving the observed declines in birth outcomes.
Bridging the pulse: Exploring inequalities in diabetes and hypertension medication prescriptions in Spain's immigrant and native communities.
Boggian L, Madia JE, Nicodemo C
Econ Hum Biol · 2025 May · PMID 40245589 · Publisher ↗
Migrants often face barriers in accessing high quality healthcare, leading to unequal treatment. This research investigates the disparities in medication utilization for cardiovascular risk factors between immigrant and...
Migrants often face barriers in accessing high quality healthcare, leading to unequal treatment. This research investigates the disparities in medication utilization for cardiovascular risk factors between immigrant and native-born populations in Spain. The study specifically examines differences in drug prescriptions for managing diabetes and hypertension, two key contributors to cardiovascular disease. We analyze administrative healthcare records to examine the probability of patients receiving prescriptions for antidiabetic and antihypertensive medications. Additionally, we assess the likelihood of patients undergoing tests to measure glycated hemoglobin levels and blood pressure, two crucial indicators for monitoring diabetes and hypertension management.The analysis is stratified across different levels of medical needs, by also controlling for individual socioeconomic status, physician diagnoses, biometric data and primary care centers fixed effects. The findings reveal that all immigrant groups have lower probabilities of being prescribed medications for diabetes and hypertension and this is especially true for people with higher levels of healthcare needs. These findings underscore the importance of addressing healthcare disparities to achieve more equitable outcomes for immigrant communities.
Towering Intellects? Sizing up the relationship between height and academic success.
Coffey S, Schwartz AE
Econ Hum Biol · 2025 May · PMID 40203676 · Publisher ↗
Do tall students do better in school? A robust literature documents higher earnings among taller people and suggests that differences in adult labor market outcomes may reflect prior differences in academic outcomes. In...
Do tall students do better in school? A robust literature documents higher earnings among taller people and suggests that differences in adult labor market outcomes may reflect prior differences in academic outcomes. In this paper, we use unique student-level longitudinal data from New York City (NYC) to examine the link between height and achievement, shedding light on underlying mechanisms. The centerpiece of our empirical work is a regression linking test scores to height, measured as a z-score normalized to same grade/sex peers within schools. We estimate a meaningful height gradient for both boys and girls in English Language Arts (ELA) and math achievement in all grades 3-8. Controlling for observed student characteristics, a one standard deviation (sd) increase in height for grade is associated with .03 and .039 sd higher performance in math and ELA, respectively, for boys and .034 and .04 sd in math and ELA, respectively, for girls. While the average gradient is small in magnitude, it is sufficiently large to generate meaningful differences in achievement between the tallest and shortest students. For example, the tallest 2.5 % boys and girls within grade perform .18 and .194 sd better in ELA, respectively, than the shortest ones. We also find evidence that ordinal height rank relative to peers may have a small effect on ELA achievement conditional on cardinal height. Thus, there is an academic height premium for both absolute and relative height.
The impact of individuals' preventive behaviours on health and healthcare utilisation.
Dhingra A, Fiorentini G, Connelly L
Econ Hum Biol · 2025 May · PMID 40187230 · Publisher ↗
We investigate the impact of preventative health behaviour of an individual, colon screening, on health outcomes and healthcare utilisation. We employ an instrumental variable approach to address the circularity in this...
We investigate the impact of preventative health behaviour of an individual, colon screening, on health outcomes and healthcare utilisation. We employ an instrumental variable approach to address the circularity in this relationship, using eye examination as our instrument. Our instrument exploits the fact that individuals who comply with recommendations or exhibit positive health behaviours tend to cluster and comply with recommendations for other positive health behaviours as well. We use two-stage least square regressions using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. The results show that undertaking colon screening increases the probability of hospitalisations, especially those that are planned. It also leads to an increase in the probability of a diagnosis of cancer and colon cancer, while reducing the probability of death in the subsequent period. Heterogeneity checks provide evidence that these results are driven mostly by females, unmarried individuals, people with more than two co-morbidities and people with lower education and income. The results highlight the need to promote targeted information and preventive medicine to enhance early detection of cancer which may increase the probability of survival, and reduce avoidable burden on the healthcare system, especially, amongst the vulnerable groups.
Second generation effects of an experimental conditional cash transfer program on early childhood human capital in Nicaragua.
Barham T, Díaz-Botía OM, Macours K … +2 more , Maluccio JA, Rueda JV
Econ Hum Biol · 2025 May · PMID 40138893 · Publisher ↗
Interventions targeting improvements in human capital are often motivated by their potential to break the intergenerational transmission of poverty from parents to children. This study contributes to the thin evidence ba...
Interventions targeting improvements in human capital are often motivated by their potential to break the intergenerational transmission of poverty from parents to children. This study contributes to the thin evidence base on these links by examining outcomes for children of former program beneficiaries of a conditional cash transfer (CCT) program, capitalizing on randomized variation in the timing and CCT's impact on maternal human capital. We estimate intent-to-treat (ITT) differential effects on early childhood anthropometric and cognitive outcomes for 0-3-year-old children of program beneficiaries [N=366], as well as effects on key domains including nutrition, health, stimulation and the home environment. We find that moderately higher schooling for mothers (19-22 years old) who were the original program beneficiaries did not translate into improvements in anthropometrics or cognitive outcomes for their children. We also find no effects on behaviors commonly thought to be affected by higher education such as investments in nutrition and preventive health, or stimulation. Early program beneficiary mothers, however, had worse mental health outcomes and were more likely to use violent disciplinary practices such as spanking, threatening and punishing. Findings demonstrate the complexity of intergenerational mechanisms across genetic, biological, environmental and behavioral factors, and also suggest the importance of maternal mental health as a mechanism influencing child outcomes.
Changes in child height and open defecation in rural India: Understanding improvements between the two most recent demographic surveys.
Vyas S, Vera A
Econ Hum Biol · 2025 May · PMID 40138892 · Publisher ↗
Rural Indian children are exceptionally short by international standards. However, between 2015-16 and 2019-21, the average rural child's height increased by about one-fifth of a standard deviation, a more rapid increase...
Rural Indian children are exceptionally short by international standards. However, between 2015-16 and 2019-21, the average rural child's height increased by about one-fifth of a standard deviation, a more rapid increase than previous years. Over this same period of time, reported open defecation in rural India reduced dramatically from 55% of households to 27% of households, in part because of a large government program that subsidized the construction of latrines. This paper studies the extent to which the reduction in open defecation can statistically account for the increase in child height over this period of time. Using a linear decomposition similar to Blinder-Oaxaca, that controls for fixed differences across districts and changes in other environmental exposures and economic status within districts, we find that the reduction in open defecation accounts for about one-fifth of the improvement in child height over this period of time. The improvement in the disease environment contributed to a small but important increase in child height, yet children in India are still short by international standards and much open defecation remains.
The impact of extreme high temperatures on ADRD hospitalization in Guangdong, China, 2017-2019.
Zhao C, Zhang X, Ma C … +1 more , Xu W
Econ Hum Biol · 2025 May · PMID 40117986 · Publisher ↗
Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) have emerged as a major global health challenge due to the aging population. This study is among the first to investigate the impact of extreme high temperatures on ADRD h...
Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) have emerged as a major global health challenge due to the aging population. This study is among the first to investigate the impact of extreme high temperatures on ADRD hospitalization in a developing country, leveraging individual-level inpatient medical records. We found that both transient and cumulative exposure to heat waves significantly increased total hospitalization expenses and the length of hospital stay for ADRD patients. Specifically, an additional day with a daily mean temperature exceeding 30 °C in the preceding 7 days, compared to a moderate day with a temperature between 14-18 °C, was associated with a 1.5 % (200.2 yuan) increase in total hospitalization expenses and a 1.8 % (0.2 days) increase in the length of hospital stay. These effects were largely driven by out-of-pocket expenditures on nursing care and were particularly pronounced among male patients and those aged over 75.
Housing insecurity, financial hardship and mental health.
Ludlow T, Fooken J, Rose C … +1 more , Tang KK
Econ Hum Biol · 2025 May · PMID 39970717 · Publisher ↗
We examine the impact of housing insecurity on mental health. We use missed rental payments due to a shortage of money as a direct measure of housing insecurity and a difference-in-differences framework that allows us to...
We examine the impact of housing insecurity on mental health. We use missed rental payments due to a shortage of money as a direct measure of housing insecurity and a difference-in-differences framework that allows us to differentiate the effect of housing insecurity from the effect of experiencing financial hardship more generally. We find that housing insecurity causes a decline in mental health. Further analysis reveals two important dimensions of heterogeneity: the duration of prior financial hardship and the intensity of housing insecurity. Renters in prolonged financial hardship and those who experience high levels of housing insecurity (defined as missing a rental payment and having a high rent to income ratio), experience the largest negative impacts on their mental health.
How do basic income for elderly affect health of self-employed?
Aguila E, Fonseca R
Econ Hum Biol · 2025 May · PMID 39961266 · Publisher ↗
This study explores how basic income (a non-contributory pension program) for the elderly affects the health of retired workers who were self-employed or salaried workers. Differences in health between these groups may a...
This study explores how basic income (a non-contributory pension program) for the elderly affects the health of retired workers who were self-employed or salaried workers. Differences in health between these groups may arise because of the greater social protection and lower income volatility that salaried workers enjoy. The study uses a cluster-randomized controlled trial that provides supplemental incomes to adults aged 70 or older in two towns of Yucatan, Mexico. It compares the effects of supplemental income over two waves for Valladolid (where eligible individuals received a monthly income supplement) and Motul (a demographically matched control town). The results indicate that self-employed workers experience a decrease in anemia and improvements in peak expiratory flow, word recall, satisfaction with health, better health care use, and well-being. In contrast, salaried workers' health outcomes show no significant effect from the program. The program improves food availability for both self-employed and salaried workers, but its impact on food availability is stronger for self-employed workers. The program did cause a crowding out of family transfers for self-employed and salaried workers.
Auspicious years, the birth of girls, and their birth outcomes.
Cho H
Econ Hum Biol · 2025 May · PMID 39938249 · Publisher ↗
The literature suggests that parents intentionally time births, with one example being the increase in births during auspicious years according to Chinese cultural beliefs. We examine births, particularly those of girls,...
The literature suggests that parents intentionally time births, with one example being the increase in births during auspicious years according to Chinese cultural beliefs. We examine births, particularly those of girls, in 2007, a year considered auspicious in South Korea as the Year of the Golden Pig in the Chinese zodiac. In that year, the total number of births in the country surged by 10 %, reaching 496,677 compared to 453,170 in the previous year, before decreasing to 460,480 the following year. This increase suggests that having a baby, regardless of sex, was prioritized over having a boy in a country with a tradition of son preference, indicating that girls who might otherwise have been aborted were born. We found that in 2007, there was a 1 percentage point increase in the number of girls born in regions with a son-preferring culture. Additionally, girls born in 2007 weighed less compared to those born in previous years, suggesting that some may not have received adequate prenatal care.
Gender gaps in early childhood development in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Berlinski S, Sanz-de-Galdeano A, Sóñora-Noya A
Econ Hum Biol · 2025 May · PMID 39933208 · Publisher ↗
We examine gender gaps in early childhood cognitive and social-behavioral skills across several Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries. Our study complements previous research focused on older children by analyzing...
We examine gender gaps in early childhood cognitive and social-behavioral skills across several Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries. Our study complements previous research focused on older children by analyzing the preschool period, a critical stage for lifelong human capital formation. We find that the female advantage commonly observed in school-aged children's achievement, as well as in high school enrollment and completion in both high-income and LAC countries, is also frequently evident in early childhood within our sample of LAC countries. On average, girls outperform boys in various developmental measures and are less likely to exhibit externalizing behaviors. Furthermore, these gender gaps generally remain stable across the distributions of developmental outcomes. Unlike findings for older children in high-income countries, our results suggest that during early childhood in LAC, boys and girls do not show differential benefits from socioeconomic status or a more favorable home environment.
Workplace autonomy and mental health.
Spearing J
Econ Hum Biol · 2025 Feb · PMID 39908594 · Publisher ↗
This paper explores the relationship between work-related autonomy and mental health. Using Understanding Society data from the United Kingdom, I assess the association between mental health and autonomy, defined across...
This paper explores the relationship between work-related autonomy and mental health. Using Understanding Society data from the United Kingdom, I assess the association between mental health and autonomy, defined across five different dimensions, using a range of different controls, including person and occupation fixed effects. I find low work-related autonomy consistently associates with poor mental health. The degree of selection bias on observable controls is small. Finally, I bound causal effects under assumptions about the degree of confoundedness of unobservables, and assess the possibility of reverse causality.
Smoking to your kids gain? Childhood exposure to parental smoking and obesity.
Prakash K, Kumar S
Econ Hum Biol · 2025 Feb · PMID 39893956 · Publisher ↗
We empirically investigate the link between parental smoking during childhood or adolescence and the probability of adult obesity. Utilizing data from Household, Income and Labour Dynamics Survey for Australia spanning 2...
We empirically investigate the link between parental smoking during childhood or adolescence and the probability of adult obesity. Utilizing data from Household, Income and Labour Dynamics Survey for Australia spanning 2006-2021, our analysis reveals that individuals who were exposed to parental smoking during their childhood exhibit a 4.7 percentage point higher likelihood of being obese in later stages of life. Several robustness checks indicate that the results can be suggestive of a causal relationship. Our findings indicate that health, social capital, and personality traits act as significant pathways through which early exposure to parental smoking during childhood raises the risk of adult obesity. The implications of our findings are significant for early-life interventions aimed at addressing obesity stemming from exposure to passive smoking.
The gender wage gap across life: Effects of genetic predisposition towards higher educational attainment.
Bryson A, Morris T, Bann D … +1 more , Wilkinson D
Econ Hum Biol · 2025 Feb · PMID 39883979 · Publisher ↗
Using two polygenic scores (PGS) for educational attainment in a biomedical study of all those born in a single week in Great Britain in 1958 we show that the genetic predisposition for educational attainment is associat...
Using two polygenic scores (PGS) for educational attainment in a biomedical study of all those born in a single week in Great Britain in 1958 we show that the genetic predisposition for educational attainment is associated with labour market participation and wages over the life-course for men and women. Those with a higher PGS spend more time in employment and full-time employment and, when in employment, earn higher hourly wages. The employment associations are four times larger for women than for men. Conditional on employment, the PGS wage associations are sizeable, persistent and similar for men and women through to age 55. A one standard deviation increase in the PGS is associated with a 5-10 log point increase in hourly earnings. The size of the association is a little smaller for men aged 23. These associations are robust to non-random selection into employment and to controls for parental education. Between one-quarter and one-half of the PGS association with time in employment, and one-third to one-half of the PGS association with earnings, are mediated via educational attainment. Our results suggest that genetic endowments of a cohort born a half century ago continued to play a significant role in their fortunes in the labor market of the 21st Century.
Too busy with the "rat race" to have kids? Longitudinal evidence on the impact of peer grit on the fertility of reproductive-age women in China.
Lu H, Zeng K, Hu W
Econ Hum Biol · 2025 Feb · PMID 39832434 · Publisher ↗
China is currently facing a notable decline in fertility rates. This research introduces a novel perspective on the factors influencing fertility among women of reproductive age, representing the first attempt to examine...
China is currently facing a notable decline in fertility rates. This research introduces a novel perspective on the factors influencing fertility among women of reproductive age, representing the first attempt to examine the impact of peer grit on female fertility. Analyzing nationally representative panel data from China and leveraging plausibly exogenous variations in peer exposure across cohorts, we find that peer grit is associated with a reduction in fertility behavior and intentions. The negative effects of peer grit are robust across alternative measures of core metrics and estimation techniques addressing endogeneity concerns. Additionally, our findings suggest that the influence of peer grit on women's fertility behavior and intentions may be mediated by changes in educational attainment and employment stability, operating through a mechanism known as the demonstration effect.
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