Universal investment in infants and long-run health: Evidence from Denmark's 1937 home visiting program

TY - JOUR

T1 - Universal investment in infants and long-run health

T2 - Evidence from Denmark's 1937 home visiting program

AU - Hjort, Jonas

AU - Sølvsten, Mikkel

AU - Wüst, Miriam

PY - 2017/10/1

Y1 - 2017/10/1

N2 - This paper examines the long-run health effects of a universal infant health intervention, the 1937 Danish home visiting program, which targeted all infants. Using administrative population data and exploiting variation in the timing of implementation across municipalities, we find that treated individuals enjoy higher age-specific survival rates during middle age (45-64), experience fewer hospital nights, and are less likely to be diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. These results suggest that an improved nutrition and disease environment in infancy "programmed" individuals for lower predisposition to serious adult diseases.

AB - This paper examines the long-run health effects of a universal infant health intervention, the 1937 Danish home visiting program, which targeted all infants. Using administrative population data and exploiting variation in the timing of implementation across municipalities, we find that treated individuals enjoy higher age-specific survival rates during middle age (45-64), experience fewer hospital nights, and are less likely to be diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. These results suggest that an improved nutrition and disease environment in infancy "programmed" individuals for lower predisposition to serious adult diseases.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85029831072&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1257/app.20150087

DO - 10.1257/app.20150087

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85029831072

SN - 1945-7782

VL - 9

SP - 78

EP - 104

JO - American Economic Journal: Applied Economics

JF - American Economic Journal: Applied Economics

IS - 4

ER -