Early Childhood Education and Life-cycle Health

Arbeitspapier

This paper forecasts the life-cycle treatment effects on health of a high-quality early childhood program. Our predictions combine microsimulation using non-experimental data with experimental data from a midlife long-term follow-up. The follow-up incorporated a full epidemiological exam. The program mainly benefits males and significantly reduces the prevalence of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and mortality across the life-cycle. For men, we estimate an average reduction of 3.8 disability-adjusted years (DALYs). The reduction in DALYs is relatively small for women. The gain in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) is almost enough to offset all of the costs associated with program implementation for males and half of program costs for women.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 13064

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Health: General ; Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth ; Education: Government Policy ; Field Experiments
• Subject: early childhood education ; life-cycle health ; long-term forecasts ; program evaluation ; randomized trials

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): García, Jorge Luis ; Heckman, James J.
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2020

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/216376
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:43 AM CET