Immunize Thy Children—Paving the Way for Their Success: Micro-level Evidence from India

Abstract

Childhood interventions like nutrition and immunizations have immediate as well as far-reaching impacts including potential labour market outcomes. However, there are insufficient studies on the association between immunization and children’s future cognitive abilities, which might directly impact labour market outcomes. Cross-sectional data cannot do justice to this programme evaluation as the children eligible for immunization are too young to be tested for any cognitive abilities. Using individual-level panel data from the Indian Human Development Survey (IHDS) round I (2004–2005, N = 3,208, age = 12–23 months with 50.6% male) and round II (2011–2012, N = 2,534, age = 96–107 months with 50.8% male), we are trying to assess the linkage between childhood care and child’s cognitive development. We also addressed the potential endogenous relation between parents’ decision for full immunization and kids’ cognitive achievement by using a quasi-experimental regression technique: propensity score matching. Our study finds a significant effect of childhood immunization on the cognitive development of grown-up children through better reading, writing and mathematics skills. JEL Classifications: I15, I28, I38, J13