Economic Status and Health in Childhood: The Origins of the Gradient

The well-known positive association between health and income in adulthood has antecedents in childhood. Not only is children's health positively related to household income, but the relationship between household income and children's health becomes more pronounced as children age. Part o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American economic review 2002-12, Vol.92 (5), p.1308-1334
Main Authors: Case, Anne, Lubotsky, Darren, Paxson, Christina
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Adults
Child
Child development
Child health
Child Health - economics
Child, Preschool
Childbirth
Childhood
Children
Children & youth
Childrens health
Chronic Disease - economics
Chronic diseases
Chronic illnesses
Economic impact
Economic status
Economic theory
Economics
Educational Status
Families & family life
Family income
Fathers
Health
Health Behavior
Health Status
Health technology assessment
Households
Humans
Income
Income distribution
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Insurance, Health - economics
Labor supply
Low income groups
Medical conditions
Mothers
National health insurance
Parents
Parents & parenting
Socioeconomic Factors
Studies
United States
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Summary:The well-known positive association between health and income in adulthood has antecedents in childhood. Not only is children's health positively related to household income, but the relationship between household income and children's health becomes more pronounced as children age. Part of the relationship can be explained by the arrival and impact of chronic conditions. Children from lower-income households with chronic conditions have worse health than do those from higher-income households. The adverse health effects of lower income accumulate over children's lives. Part of the intergenerational transmission of socioeconomic status may work through the impact of parents' income on children's health.
ISSN:0002-8282
1944-7981
DOI:10.1257/000282802762024520