ABSTRACT
The medical literature has shown that populations under high stress have a lower sex ratio at birth (i.e. number of males for every 100 females). In this paper, I examine the relationship between income, as a source of economic stress, and the sex ratio at a subnational level for the 1895-2010 period. For this, I use census microdata from Argentina -a developing country that experienced rapid growth at the end of the 19th century and stagnated in recent decades- and I estimate from a two-way fixed effects model that exploits the wide temporal and geographic variability in income. The results show that as per capita income increases, the sex ratio at birth also increases. In particular, for every US$ 1,000 increase in per capita income, the sex ratio increases between 0.3 and 0.6 points. These findings make it possible to quantify the lost boys (i.e. those boys who were not born due to high economic stress on their parents) and constitute a call for attention in favor of the implementation of prenatal care policies -especially in periods of stagnation or income decline- to maintain a more balanced sex ratio.
Subject(s)
Income , Sex Ratio , Male , Female , Pregnancy , Infant, Newborn , Humans , Socioeconomic Factors , Population Dynamics , Argentina , Developing CountriesABSTRACT
In this paper I examine the evolution of parental gender preferences in Argentina (i.e., parents who prefer a certain gender composition in their children). To do this, I use census microdata that spans the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. The estimation strategy exploits the plausibly random assignment in the gender of children. The results show a persistent preference for a mixed gender composition (i.e., having at least one boy and one girl) instead of children of the same gender. This translates into an increase in the probability of having a third child, conditional on already having two children of between 9%-23% for those couples who have children of the same gender -in relation to couples with children of opposite genders-. These preferences are heterogeneous over time and have important implications in terms of fertility (i.e., the reduction of these mixed gender preferences -in favor of greater gender-neutrality- could contribute to reducing the number of children per couple). In addition, the findings of this work support the empirical literature that uses the gender composition of the first two children as an instrumental variable to study the impact of fertility on labor participation.
Subject(s)
Fertility , Child , Female , Male , Humans , ArgentinaABSTRACT
The 2019 novel coronavirus disease pandemic poses a serious threat. While its short-term effects are evident, its long-term consequences are a matter of analysis. In this work, the existence of long-lasting negative effects derived from exposure in utero to a great pandemic -1918 influenza pandemic- is analysed for the Argentine case. Outcomes of interest include educational achievement and unemployment status in adulthood -50 years after the pandemic. Based on a regression analysis, temporal differences in the spread of the pandemic and between close birth cohorts are exploited. The results indicate a significant reduction in educational achievement for people exposed in utero to the pandemic. In the region with the highest incidence of cases (Noroeste), this reduction is 0.5 years of education. There are no significant changes in the chances of being unemployed. In the context of climate change, these results constitute a call of attention for the implementation of child protection policies from gestation.
Subject(s)
Global Health/history , Influenza Pandemic, 1918-1919/history , Argentina/epidemiology , COVID-19/epidemiology , History, 20th Century , History, 21st Century , Humans , Influenza Pandemic, 1918-1919/economics , Influenza Pandemic, 1918-1919/mortality , Pandemics/history , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
RESUMEN: La actual pandemia de la enfermedad de coronavirus 2019 constituye una severa amenaza para las personas y la economía a nivel global. La adopción de medidas tendientes a reducir la velocidad de expansión de la pandemia es fundamental. En este trabajo se busca examinar el potencial impacto de la implementación de medidas de distanciamiento social. En particular, a partir de una reducción en la tasa de reproducción (R0) se examina su impacto sobre la dinámica de infectados y fallecidos. Se recurre a la utilización de una extensión del modelo SIR estándar, el cual considera explícitamente a aquellas personas infectadas pero que aún no pueden transmitir la enfermedad (expuestos) y aquellos que han fallecido (fallecidos) y una tasa de reproducción decreciente en el tiempo. Este comportamiento de la tasa de reproducción reflejaría la implementación de medidas de distanciamiento a partir de diferentes especificaciones.Los resultados sugieren que las medidas de distanciamiento contribuyen a reducir significativamente la cantidad máxima de infectados activos y fallecidos diarios. Esto es, logran aplanar las curvas de contagios y fallecimientos. (AU)
ABSTRACT: The current coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic poses a severe threat to people and the economy globally. The adoption of measures to reduce the speed of expansion of the pandemic is essential. This paper seeks to examine the potential impact of implementing social distancing measures. In particular, from a reduction in the reproduction rate (R0) its impact on the dynamics of infected and deceased is examined.The use of an extension of the standard SIR model is used, which explicitly considers those infected but not yet able to transmit the disease (exposed) and those who have died (deceased) and a decreasing rate of reproduction over time. This behavior of the reproduction rate would reflect the implementation of distance measurements based on different specifications.The results suggest that the distancing measures contribute to significantly reduce the maximum number of active infected and daily deceased. That is, they manage to flatten the contagion and lethality curves. (AU)
RESUMO: A atual pandemia da doença de coronavírus 2019 constitui uma severa ameaça para as pessoas e a economia a nível global. A adoção de medidas para reduzir a velocidade de expansão da pandemia é essencial. Neste trabalho se busca examinar o impacto potencial da implementação de medidas de distanciamento social. Em particular, se examina o impacto, na dinâmica de infectados e óbitos, de uma redução na taxa de reprodução (R0). Se recorre a utilização de uma extensão do modelo SIR padrão o qual considera explicitamente os infectados que ainda não podem transmitir a doença (expostos) e os que morreram (falecidos) e uma taxa de reprodução decrescente ao longo do tempo. Esse comportamento da taxa de reprodução refletiria a implementação de medições de distância com base em diferentes especificações. Os resultados sugerem que as medidas de distanciamento contribuem para reduzir significativamente a quantidade máxima de infectados ativos e falecidos diariamente. Isto é, eles conseguem achatar as curvas de contágios e mortes. (AU)
