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  3. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics
  4. January 2012
  5. Enhancing Cognitive Functioning: Medium-Term Effects of a Health and Family Planning Program in Matlab

Enhancing Cognitive Functioning: Medium-Term Effects of a Health and Family Planning Program in Matlab

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Abstract

It is believed that early life circumstances are crucial to success later in life. Yet causal evidence that the impacts of early childhood health interventions continue into late childhood and adolescence is sparse. This paper exploits a quasi-random placement of the Matlab Maternal and Child Health and Family Planning Program in Bangladesh to determine whether children eligible for child health interventions in early childhood had better cognitive functioning at ages 8-14. I find a program effect of 0.39 standard deviations on cognitive functioning and similar effects for height and educational attainment (JEL I15, I18, J13, J18, O15).

Citation

Barham, Tania. 2012. "Enhancing Cognitive Functioning: Medium-Term Effects of a Health and Family Planning Program in Matlab." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 4 (1): 245-73. DOI: 10.1257/app.4.1.245

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JEL Classification

  • I15 Health and Economic Development
  • I18 Health: Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
  • J13 Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
  • J18 Demographic Economics: Public Policy
  • O15 Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
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