Mothers' and Fathers' Labor Supply in Fragile Families: The Role of Child Health

48 Pages Posted: 29 Aug 2003 Last revised: 8 Aug 2022

See all articles by Hope Corman

Hope Corman

Rider University; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Nancy E. Reichman

Rutgers University, New Brunswick - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Kelly Noonan

Rider University; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Date Written: August 2003

Abstract

We estimate the effect of poor child health on the labor supply of mothers and fathers post welfare reform, using a national sample of mostly unwed parents and their children-a group at high risk of living in poverty. We account for the potential endogeneity of child health and find that having a young child in poor health reduces the mother's probability of working, the mother's hours of work, and the father's hours of work. These results suggest that children's health problems may diminish their parents' capacity to invest in their health.

Suggested Citation

Corman, Hope and Reichman, Nancy E. and Noonan, Kelly, Mothers' and Fathers' Labor Supply in Fragile Families: The Role of Child Health (August 2003). NBER Working Paper No. w9918, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=437487

Hope Corman (Contact Author)

Rider University ( email )

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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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Nancy E. Reichman

Rutgers University, New Brunswick - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School ( email )

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United States

Kelly Noonan

Rider University ( email )

2083 Lawrenceville Road
Lawrenceville Township, NJ 08648
United States

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

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