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Title: Minimum Drinking Age Laws and Infant Health Outcomes
Resulting in 1 citation.
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Fertig, Angela R. Watson, Tara Elizabeth |
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Minimum Drinking Age Laws and Infant Health Outcomes Journal of Health Ecomomics 28,3 (May 2009): 737-747. Also: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167629609000319 Cohort(s): NLSY79 Publisher: Elsevier Keyword(s): Abortion; Alcohol Use; Birth Outcomes; Birthweight; Pre/post Natal Behavior; Pre/post Natal Health Care; Sexual Behavior; State-Level Data/Policy Alcohol policies have potentially far-reaching impacts on risky sexual behavior, prenatal health behaviors, and subsequent outcomes for infants. After finding initial evidence in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) that changes in the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) are related to prenatal drinking, we examine whether the drinking age influences birth outcomes. Using data from the National Vital Statistics (NVS) for the years 1978-1988, we find that a drinking age of 18 is associated with adverse outcomes among births to young mothers-including higher incidences of low birth weight and premature birth, but not congenital anomalies. The effects are largest among black women. We also report evidence that the MLDA laws alter the composition of births that occur. In states with lenient drinking laws, young black mothers are less likely to report paternal information on the birth certificate, particularly in states with restrictive abortion policies. The evidence suggests that lenient drinking laws generate poor birth outcomes in part because they increase the number of unplanned pregnancies. Copyright of Journal of Health Economics is the property of Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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Bibliography Citation
Fertig, Angela R. and Tara Elizabeth Watson. "Minimum Drinking Age Laws and Infant Health Outcomes." Journal of Health Ecomomics 28,3 (May 2009): 737-747.
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