Full Citation

Title: The Impact of HIV/AIDS on Human Capital Investment in Sub-Saharan Africa: New Evidence

Citation Type: Working Paper

Publication Year: 2019

ISBN:

ISSN: 1556-5068

DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.3437138

NSFID:

PMCID:

PMID:

Abstract: The risk of AIDS-related mortality increased dramatically throughout the 1990s. This paper updates previous work by Fortson (2011) to examine the impact of mortality risk on human capital investment during the deadliest period of the epidemic. We combine Demographic Health Survey data from 30 countries and across 60 survey waves to generate a sample of over 1,300,000 observations. Cohort-specific analysis using the updated sample yields new evidence that the increased salience of mortality risk steepened the negative relationship between HIV-prevalence and schooling. These findings are strongest for decisions made prior to the significant expansion of AIDS treatment that began in the mid-2000s. The trends persists for both men and women; however, the reduction in schooling for women is stronger along the extensive margin of the schooling decision. The findings highlight that the decline in human capital investment associated with the heightened mortality risk of the HIV/AIDS epidemic prior to the expansion of treatment was larger in magnitude and more widespread than previously understood.

Url: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3437138

Url: https://www.ssrn.com/abstract=3437138

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Authors: Chicoine, Luke; Lyons, Emily; Sahue, Alexia

Series Title: SSRN

Publication Number: 3437138

Institution:

Pages: 1-33

Publisher Location:

Data Collections: IPUMS Global Health - DHS

Topics: Health, Population Health and Health Systems

Countries: