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 -
