Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/215170 
Year of Publication: 
2019
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 12774
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between birth order, health at birth and in childhood, and parental health investment using administrative data from Austria. We find significant birth order effects on health at birth and in primary school. These effects are positive, in that later-born siblings are healthier than the first-born child, and increase with birth order. Consequently, first-born children are more likely to consume medical drugs and to utilize medical services. We also find differences in parental health investment. First-born children are more likely to receive preventive medical care and immunization against measles, mumps, and rubella.
Subjects: 
birth order
parental health investment
parental health behavior
health at birth
health in childhood
health care utilization
vaccinations
JEL: 
I10
I12
I14
J12
J13
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
589.5 kB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.