Full Citation

Title: In utero and childhood exposure to alcohol and old age mortality: Evidence from the temperance movement in the US

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2023

ISBN:

ISSN: 1570677X

DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2023.101276

NSFID:

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PMID:

Abstract: Previous research suggests the relevance of in-utero insults and early-life circumstances for a wide array of life cycle outcomes. This research note joins this strand of studies by exploring the long-run mortality effects of inutero and early-life exposure to alcohol accessibility. In so doing, we take advantage of the prohibition movement during the early part of the twentieth century that generated quasi-natural reductions in alcohol consumption. We use Social Security Administration Death Master Files linked to the full-count 1940 census and compare the longevity of male individuals exposed to the prohibition during in-utero and early childhood (1900–1930) as a result of statewide and federal alcohol ban to those wet counties after the law change to before. The results suggest an intent-to-treat effect of 0.17 years higher longevity as a result of prohibition. A back-of-anenvelope calculation suggests a minimum treatment-on-treated effect of 1.7 years impact. Furthermore, we show that these effects are not driven by other county-level demographic and socioeconomic changes, endogenous selection of births, and preexisting trends in the outcome. Our findings contribute to the growing body of research that explores the in-utero and childhood circumstances on long-term health outcomes.

Url: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1570677X23000576

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Authors: Noghanibehambari, Hamid; Fletcher, Jason

Periodical (Full): Economics & Human Biology

Issue:

Volume: 50

Pages: 1-22

Data Collections: IPUMS USA, IPUMS USA - Ancestry Full Count Data

Topics: Fertility and Mortality, Health, Reproductive and Sexual Health

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