Ahmed Salma, Ray Ranjan
*Alfred Deakin Institute,Deakin University,Australia.
†Department of Economics,Monash University,Australia.
J Biosoc Sci. 2018 Nov;50(6):770-799. doi: 10.1017/S0021932017000591. Epub 2017 Nov 27.
This study aimed to assess whether shocks experienced by children in the mother's womb can have an adverse effect on their future health, and whether these effects can be ameliorated by government welfare schemes. Data were taken from three phases of the Young Lives Survey carried out in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh in 2002, 2007 and 2009-2010. Different types of in utero shock were distinguished from the data. Using ordinary least squares (OLS) estimation, it was observed that multiple in utero shocks reduced children's weight-for-age and height-for-age z-scores by 0.07-0.08 and 0.08-0.15 units respectively. The roles of two Indian government welfare schemes - the Midday Meal Scheme (MDMS) and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) - in mitigating the adverse effects of in utero shocks were examined. While the effect of the MDMS was statistically insignificant, that of the NREGS was significant. Although not designed to protect child health, the NREGS has been playing a more effective role than the MDMS in acting as a buffer against the damaging effects of in utero shocks on child health. The study points to the need for greater co-ordination between the two welfare schemes.
本研究旨在评估子宫内的儿童所经历的冲击是否会对其未来健康产生不利影响，以及这些影响是否能通过政府福利计划得到改善。数据取自2002年、2007年以及2009 - 2010年在印度安得拉邦开展的“青年生活调查”的三个阶段。从数据中区分出了不同类型的子宫内冲击。使用普通最小二乘法（OLS）估计发现，多次子宫内冲击分别使儿童的年龄别体重和年龄别身高的z分数降低了0.07 - 0.08和0.08 - 0.15个单位。研究了印度两个政府福利计划——午餐计划（MDMS）和全国农村就业保障计划（NREGS）——在减轻子宫内冲击的不利影响方面所起的作用。虽然午餐计划的效果在统计上不显著，但全国农村就业保障计划的效果显著。尽管全国农村就业保障计划并非旨在保护儿童健康，但在缓冲子宫内冲击对儿童健康的破坏影响方面，它比午餐计划发挥了更有效的作用。该研究指出这两个福利计划之间需要加强协调。
