Maternal education and childhood immunization in Turkey


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Özer M., Fidrmuc J., Eryurt M. A.

HEALTH ECONOMICS, vol.27, no.8, pp.1218-1229, 2018 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 27 Issue: 8
  • Publication Date: 2018
  • Doi Number: 10.1002/hec.3770
  • Journal Name: HEALTH ECONOMICS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED)
  • Page Numbers: pp.1218-1229
  • Keywords: difference-in-difference-in-difference, diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus (DPT), Hepatitis B, instrumental variable, maternal education, vaccination, NATURAL EXPERIMENT, HEALTH EVIDENCE, NIGERIA, DETERMINANTS, CHILDREN
  • Hacettepe University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

We study the causal effect of maternal education on childhood immunization rates. We use the Compulsory Education Law of 1997, and the differentiation in its implementation across regions, as instruments for schooling of young mothers in Turkey. The Compulsory Education Law increased the compulsory years of schooling of those born after 1986 from 5 to 8years. We find that education of mothers increases the probability of completing the full course of diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus and Hepatitis B vaccinations for their children. The results are robust to variations in regression specification and including various individual and community variables.