<p><p>This paper examines the impact of in utero exposure to the Asian influenza pandemic of 1957 upon childhood development. Outcome data are provided by the National Child Development Study (NCDS), a panel study where all members were potentially exposed in the womb. Epidemic effects are identified using geographic variation in a surrogate measure of the epidemic. Results point to multiple channels linking fetal health shocks to childhood outcomes: physical development is impeded, but only when mothers had certain health characteristics; by contrast, the negative effects on cognitive development appear general across the cohort.</p></p>
Authors
Elaine Kelly
Senior Research Economist
Elaine works in the Public Finance and Pensions sector and she joined the IFS in 2009 and became a member of the research staff in 2011.
Journal article details
- Publisher
- University of Wisconsin Press
- ISSN
- 0022-166X
- Issue
- November 2011
Suggested citation
Kelly, E. (2011). 'The scourge of Asian Flu: in utero exposure to pandemic influenza and the development of a cohort of British children ' (2011)
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