Basic childhood immunization and its effect on long term labor market outcomes
Date
2022-01
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Abstract
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been more discourse on
vaccination and its implications on one’s health and economic outlook. This study
explores whether vaccination for Tuberculosis (TB), Diphtheria, Pertussis and
Tetanus (DPT), polio, and measles in the first 2 years of life affect long-term labor
market outcomes using data from Metropolitan Cebu in the Philippines. The Cebu
Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey provided data on children and their
household’s characteristics. Propensity score matching was used to analyze the
difference between the labor market outcomes of unvaccinated and vaccinated
individuals. The results showed a significant difference in total earnings and job
formality, but no significant difference was seen in the hours worked on their main
job. Although the results show that total earnings and job formality are negatively
significant between the vaccinated and unvaccinated, it is a point of emphasis that the
use of at least one immunization may not be enough to exhibit the actual effects of
vaccination. Thus, this relationship is not strongly established and should be
examined more closely.
Description
Keywords
Immunization, COVID-19, public health, childhood immunization, labor market