Mosquitoes: The Long-term Effects of Malaria Eradication in India

33 Pages Posted: 14 Nov 2007

See all articles by David M. Cutler

David M. Cutler

Harvard University - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); Harvard University - Harvard Kennedy School (HKS)

Winnie Fung

Wheaton College

Michael Kremer

Harvard University - Department of Economics; Brookings Institution; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); Center for Global Development; Harvard University - Harvard Kennedy School (HKS)

Monica Singhal

Harvard University - Harvard Kennedy School (HKS); National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: October 2007

Abstract

We examine the effects of malaria on educational attainment by exploiting geographic variation in malaria prevalence in India prior to a nationwide eradication program in the 1950s. Malaria eradication resulted in gains in literacy and primary school completion rates of approximately 12 percentage points. These estimates imply that the eradication of malaria can explain about half of the gains in these measures of educational attainment between the pre- and post-eradication periods in areas where malaria was prevalent. The effects are not present in urban areas, where malaria was not considered to be a problem in the pre-eradication period. The results cannot be explained by convergence across areas. We find gains for both men and women as well as for members of scheduled castes and tribes, a traditionally disadvantaged group.

Keywords: malaria, health, education, Economics - Microeconomics, Human Resources¸ Labor and Education, International Development, Welfare / Health Care/ Social Policy

JEL Classification: H51, I18, J24

Suggested Citation

Cutler, David M. and Fung, Winnie and Kremer, Michael R. and Singhal, Monica, Mosquitoes: The Long-term Effects of Malaria Eradication in India (October 2007). KSG Working Paper No. RWP07-051, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1019022 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1019022

David M. Cutler

Harvard University - Department of Economics ( email )

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Winnie Fung

Wheaton College ( email )

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Michael R. Kremer

Harvard University - Department of Economics ( email )

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