Full Citation

Title: Giving Mom a Break: The Impact of Higher EITC Patments on Maternal Health

Citation Type: Working Paper

Publication Year: 2010

ISBN:

ISSN:

DOI:

NSFID:

PMCID:

PMID:

Abstract: The 1993 expansions of the Earned Income Tax Credit created the first meaningful separation in thebenefit level for families based on the number of children, with families containing two or more childrennow receiving substantially more in benefits. If income is protective of health, we should see improvementsover time in the health for mothers eligible for the EITC with two or more children compared to thosewith only one child. Using data from the Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance Survey, we find indifference-in-difference models that for low-educated mothers of two or more children, the numberof days with poor mental health and the fraction reporting excellent or very good health improvedrelative to the mothers with only one child. Using data from the National Health Examination andNutrition Survey, we find evidence that the probability of having risky levels of biomarkers fell forthese same low-educated women impacted more by the 1993 expansions, especially biomarkers thatindicate inflammation.

User Submitted?: No

Authors: Evans, William N.; Garthwaite, Craig L.

Series Title:

Publication Number:

Institution: National Bureau of Economic Research

Pages:

Publisher Location: Cambridge, MA

Data Collections: IPUMS CPS

Topics: Family and Marriage, Health, Migration and Immigration

Countries: