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  3. American Economic Review
  4. May 2011
  5. Long-Run Mortality Effects of Vietnam-Era Army Service: Evidence from Australia's Conscription Lotteries

Long-Run Mortality Effects of Vietnam-Era Army Service: Evidence from Australia's Conscription Lotteries

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Abstract

We estimate the effect of Vietnam-era Army service on mortality, exploiting Australia's conscription lotteries for identification. We utilize population data on deaths during 1994-2007 and military personnel records. The estimates are identified by over 51,000 compliers induced to enlist in the Army. We find no statistically significant effects on mortality overall, nor for any cause of death. The estimated relative risk (RR) of death associated with Army service is 1.03 (95% CI: 0.92, 1.19). On the assumption that Army service affected mortality only for those who served in Vietnam, the estimated RR is 1.06 (95% CI: 0.81, 1.51).

Citation

Siminski, Peter, and Simon Ville. 2011. "Long-Run Mortality Effects of Vietnam-Era Army Service: Evidence from Australia's Conscription Lotteries." American Economic Review, 101 (3): 345-49. DOI: 10.1257/aer.101.3.345

JEL Classification

  • I12 Health Production
  • J45 Public Sector Labor Markets