A Simple Model on Mothers’ Autonomy, Health Inputs, and Child Health

Mandal, Biswajit and Bhattacharjee, Prasun and Banerjee, Souvik (2016): A Simple Model on Mothers’ Autonomy, Health Inputs, and Child Health.

Abstract

Using traditional health capital model of Grossman (1972) and Wagstaff (1986a) this paper attempts to fill in the theoretical missing link between mothers’ autonomy and household consumption behavior, particularly focusing on the consumption of child health inputs. It has been shown in this analysis that working mothers’ children should be of better health status. Further independent of working status of the mother, the autonomy parameter always induces consumption of more health inputs for the children. However, when autonomy is linked with mothers’ income, the basic results of the model are further strengthened. In fact, income induced autonomy may result in redefining the composite consumption good for the family as an inferior one.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: mothers’ autonomy, child health, health demand, behavioral factors
• Subjects: D - Microeconomics > D1 - Household Behavior and Family Economics; D - Microeconomics > D1 - Household Behavior and Family Economics > D11 - Consumer Economics: Theory; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I12 - Health Behavior; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I18 - Government Policy ; Regulation ; Public Health

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