Parental Illness Shocks and Child Health in Bangladesh
研究了孟加拉国农村父母患病对儿童身高的负面影响，发现父母患病导致家庭财务困难，进而减少食物和蛋白质摄入，解释了儿童身高差距的3.5%。
This study examines the impact of parental illness on child health in rural Bangladesh. Using a set of health conditions that are as good as random, we find that parental illness has a significant negative effect on child height. Both Fathers’ and mothers’ illnesses exhibit equally detrimental effects. Exploring potential mechanisms, we find that parental illness induces financial distress, characterized by increased medical spending, diminished assets, and increased borrowing. Consequently, parents respond by substantially reducing resource allocation, manifested through decreased food intake and protein consumption. The findings of this study carry important policy implications, as mitigating the effects of parental illness could close 3.5% of the height gap between Bangladeshi children and the global average.