Migration and Child Growth in Rural Guatemala

• Tác giả: Calogero Carletto
• Ngôn ngữ: eng
• Ký hiệu phân loại: 320.97 Political science (Politics and government)
• Thông tin xuất bản: 2012
• Bộ sưu tập: Tài liệu truy cập mở
• ID: 304659
• Chủ đề: 1. Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis D120; 2. Demographic Trends and Forecasts; 3. General Migration J110; 4. Health Production I120; 5. Remittances F240

Tóm tắt

This paper examines the relationship between migration and child growth in the rural highlands of Guatemala, a region with substantial international migration outflows, significant remittance inflows, and some of the highest rates of child undernutrition in the world. Using cross-sectional survey data, a double-difference approach based on child growth patterns that controls for the selectivity of migration is used to assess the impact of migration to the US on Height-for-Age Z (HAZ) scores and stunting prevalence of children. HAZ scores for children in households with a migrant to the US are conservatively estimated to be 0.5 standard deviations higher and the prevalence of stunting is approximately 6 percentage points lower. Descriptive evidence suggests the possible channels through which migration may operate are improved food security and reduced morbidity.